Synthetic biology and food safety innovator Sample6, Cambridge, Mass., initiated a multi-center collaborative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Nutrition (CFSAN), Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and Winchester Engineering Analytical Center (WEAC) to test Sample6’s bacteriophage-powered, state-of-the-art, in-shift Listeriapathogen testing detection system to validate an advanced cutting-edge assay for simple, rapid and accurate detection in food processing. Furthermore, the CRADA covers work on soon-to-be-released products such as a suite of Salmonella assays for environmental and food product testing and expanding Listeria to also cover food product testing.

Certified by the AOAC Performance Tested Method program and adopted into the USDA FSIS Approved Assay List for Pathogen Tests, Sample6 DETECT/L is said to be the first in-plant, in-shift pathogen detection for Listeria spp in ice cream, fresh produce and packaged meats.