Hygiena to acquire DuPont's food safety diagnostics business

DuPont Nutrition & Health’s global food safety diagnostics business has been acquired by microbiology and life science company Hygiena, which manufactures and sells a range of rapid hygiene monitoring systems, environmental collection systems and rapid dilution devices.

The business was formed by DuPont in 1992 as Qualicon, and Hygiena will retain the Qualicon name. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2017, pending regulatory approvals.

DuPont Diagnostics provides microbial detection and monitoring products that identify and characterise pathogens and other unwelcome organisms in food ingredients, finished products and production environments. Its BAX System has been adopted as the leading detection method by food manufacturers, food quality laboratories and governments around the world.

“The combined company’s microbiology products will cover the full manufacturing process, from in-process environmental tests to finished product tests,” said Steve Nason, chief executive officer of Hygiena.

Matthias Heinzel, president, DuPont Nutrition & Health, said the transaction was a strategic business decision that would allow DuPont Nutrition & Health to focus on growth opportunities more closely aligned with its core portfolio of specialty food ingredients.