Automated Salmonella testing

Biotecon Diagnostics has developed the foodproof RoboPrep+ Series to meet the need of a leading international confectionery manufacturer that has now introduced the system into several of its factories for automated Salmonella testing. Multiple food matrices have been tested, making the system very useful for any kind of food industry with pathogen testing needs at medium to high throughput.

Based on Xiril’s Robotic Workstations, Biotecon Diagnostics will worldwide exclusively distribute its own automation solution labelled ‘foodproof RoboPrep+ powered by Xiril’ together with Biotecon Diagnostics’ foodproof Magnetic Preparation Kit I and real-time PCR-based detection kits for the food market, eg, for Salmonella detection. (Biotecon Diagnostics and Xiril announced a new OEM partnership in July 2010.)

After an intensive validation program performed at Biotecon Diagnostics laboratories, the foodproof RoboPrep+ Series is now commercially available to the worldwide food market. This is the first validated automated solution for PCR-based microbial testing specifically designed for the food market.

Xiril and Biotecon Diagnostics share many synergies and both companies look forward to introducing these affordable and innovative automated liquid-handling technologies.

“This cooperation is an important step for us in the global expansion of our markets, in which automation and standardisation of processes has become increasingly important,” says Kornelia Berghof-Jäger, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Biotecon Diagnostics.

“The strength of our automated magnetic preparation technology lies in focused product development based on clients’ needs of highest purity and robustness combined with the speed and convenience of full automation, which is now realised in the combination with Xiril’s flexible liquid handling instrumentation,” emphasises Alois Schneiderbauer, Chief Business Officer (CBO) of Biotecon Diagnostics.

“For us the new application in the food testing market is a perfect addition to our existing range of proven OEM solutions. It demonstrates the advantages of the open and modular design of our liquid handling workstation," comments Dr Jürgen Lindemeier, CEO of Xiril AG.

A stepwise introduction of the technology for other parameters, such as E. coli or Listeria, is in development.