Faster foodborne pathogen detection system wins Gold Edison Award

3M has received a Gold Edison Award in the Diagnostic Tools category of the 2017 Edison Awards for its Molecular Detection Assay 2.

More than 3000 senior business executives and academics in the fields of product development, design, engineering, science and medicine judged the awards, with winners chosen for their excellence in concept, value, delivery and impact.

3M’s Molecular Detection Assay 2 platform makes molecular detection of foodborne pathogens simpler and faster, providing food manufacturers never-before-available speed and ease in identifying Salmonella, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157 (including H7) in food or environment-collected samples and Cronobacter for powdered infant formula.

The platform is based on isothermal DNA amplification and bioluminescence detection and uses a single assay protocol for all pathogens, enabling batch processing of up to 96 different samples at once and improving efficiency in the laboratory. Enhanced with proprietary 3M nanotechnology, the test gives processors a streamlined workflow that simplifies their pathogen detection, enabling same- or next-day results and faster, more confident food safety decisions.