3M introduces new pathogen test technology

The 3M Petrifilm Salmonella Express System is a new pathogen detection technology now available worldwide.

The new system has already received Performance Tested Method (PTM) validation (Certification Number 061301) from AOAC Research Institute. The 3M Petrifilm Salmonella Express System was found to be equivalent to or better than the reference methods for a variety of applications, including fresh bunched spinach.

Today, the new system provides a shorter time-to-result, more uniform results and a longer shelf life than the conventional agar methods, according to 3M. It provides detection and biochemical confirmation of salmonella in enriched food and food process environmental samples, including fruits and vegetables, dairy, raw meat, seafood and pet food and results are available in as little as 44 hours.

The system is an all-in-one method. First, the 3M Petrifilm Salmonella Express Plate is a sample-ready, chromogenic culture medium that is specific to salmonella and provides a presumptive result. Next, the 3M Petrifilm Salmonella Express Confirmation Disk contains a substrate that facilitates the biochemical confirmation of all presumptive positive salmonella colonies on the plate in just four hours. By way of comparison, when food processors outsource sample testing with a third-party contract lab, they’ll commonly wait 24-72 hours for confirmation and pay a nominal amount for each presumptive positive colony requiring confirmation, according to 3M.