PRESS RELEASE

PATHATRIX RIMS used for screening material containing animal by-products by Alliance Technical Laboratories (ATL) for Salmonella under new ABP Regulations (ABPR)

ATL, an independent testing laboratory based in East Anglia, England, have started testing material that may contain animal by-products for salmonella using the PATHATRIX© RIMS system. In England, any material, including compost, silage or digestate that may contain material originating from animals must be proven to be safe and free from Salmonella. This should be achieved by screening under the regulations written by the Secretary of State (enforcing regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament). These regulations were reviewed and updated in March 2011, becoming less prescriptive and allowing any alternative method to be used if approved by the competent authority. In England, the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is deemed the competent Authority. Therefore, methods must be carried out by, and within the scope of a UKAS approved (to ISO 17025) laboratory. Following successful validation and approval by UKAS, ATL recently implemented the novel PATHATRIX© method.

Compost, digestate and other similar products are produced through the aerobic or anaerobic fermentation of biodegradable matter, including waste food, plant and/or animal matter. These processes are an extremely efficient and green method of waste management. Depending on the material and exact process employed, the finished product can be used for many purposes from soil conditioner to animal feed. However, if animal matter is included in the fermentation process, then it must be tested under new ABPR regulations.

Dr Adrian Parton MBE, CEO of Matrix MicroScience, the developers of PATHATRIX© commented 'PATHATRIX© has been used extensively within the food industry for many years, and has proved to be a very effective tool in safeguarding the food we eat. The system simply captures and concentrates pathogens such as Salmonella - it doesn't matter what material is being tested - so it's nice to see it being applied to a completely different industry just as effectively. We are delighted that a quality company such as ATL has adopted the PATHATRIX© system and is benefitting from its use '

Mr Richard Page, Director of Microbiology at ATL commented "Validating the PATHATRIX© system and incorporating the methodology to our UKAS scope of accreditation for food and ABP material has enabled us to offer a fast and accurate analysis for Salmonella".

Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause severe and sometimes fatal intestinal disease in man. It is typically contracted through ingesting contaminated food or water. For this reason, all food destined for human or animal consumption must be screened and proved not to contain Salmonella. Screening of material that may be used in agriculture is an important step in preventing the pathogen entering the food chain.

Editors Notes

Re-circulating IMS (PATHATRIX®), developed exclusively by Matrix MicroScience Ltd, is well established as a robust, versatile and revolutionary approach to pathogen isolation and detection.