SDI's RapidChek E. coli O157 Test System First to be Validated by an Independent Lab for Composite Testing of Common Types of Raw Beef Products

Shown to Help Beef Processors Ensure Safe Raw Beef Products

• Press Release
• Source: Strategic Diagnostics Inc.
• On 9:26 am EDT, Tuesday October 6, 2009

NEWARK, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SDI (Strategic Diagnostics Inc. NASDAQ:SDIX), a leading provider of biotechnology-based products and services for a broad range of life science, food safety, and industrial applications, today announced the completion of an extensive third-party validation of the RapidChek^® E. coli O157(Including H7) test system for 375g composited raw beef samples.

Related Quotes

Symbol	Price	Change
SDIX	1.33	+0.07

{"s" : "sdix","k" : "c10,l10,p20,t10","o" : "","j" : ""}

The third-party validation study was performed with RapidChek E. coli O157 test strips for detection of E. coli O157 (Including H7) in composited 375g beef trim, ground beef, and ammoniated beef samples. The results were compared to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) FSIS (Food Safety Inspection Service) reference method. All samples were confirmed using biochemical/serological procedures as listed in the USDA MLG (Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook). RapidChek E. coli O157 was shown to reliably detect E. coli O157 (Including H7) in 375g beef trim samples in as few as 10 hours when incubated at 42˚C and using a 1:5 sample to media dilution factor, in 375g ground beef samples in as little as 12 hours when incubated at 42˚C and in 375g ammoniated beef samples in as few as 18 hours when incubated at 42˚C. The study also demonstrated the ability to verify RapidChek E. coli O157 potential positive results directly from the RapidChek media system with commercially available DNA-based methods followed by further confirmation with biochemical/serological procedures as listed in the USDA MLG. The validation study was conducted by Food Safety Net Services of San Antonio, TX.

Tim Lawruk, SDI Food Safety Marketing Manager, said, “There is an increasing amount of beef being consumed in the U.S. and more than 138 million tests conducted globally each year to test for the presence of pathogens like E. coli O157:H7 in food products. That is why improving productivity and accuracy of tests is a major goal of the food testing industry. The RapidChek test system was designed to offer several advantages over competitive testing methods, including higher accuracy, faster results, and reduced testing costs. This study represents independent, empirical data and validation to support these benefits for our customers.”

Fran DiNuzzo, President and CEO of SDI, added, “We are pleased with the results of this independent validation of our testing solutions as it provides us and our customers the confidence needed to broadly employ the SDI RapidChek and RapidChek SELECT products as our customers implement their comprehensive safety programs. This study is another example of how SDI is partnering with Food Safety customers to help them ensure their products are as safe as possible. It also confirms our commitment to provide the food market with superior, complete pathogen testing solutions that provide rapid and accurate results.”

About Strategic Diagnostics Inc. (SDI)

Strategic Diagnostics Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets biotechnology-based products and services across industrial, academic, pharmaceutical, human health and Life Science markets – from food safety test solutions to diagnostic-grade antibody products.

For nearly 20 years, SDI has created antibodies that advance our customers’ and partners’ immuno-based work for assay development and industrial testing, helping them reduce time, labor, and costs while increasing accuracy and reliability of test results. Unique SDI capabilities include Genomic Antibody Technology™ (GAT) for rapid development of diagnostic-grade clinical assays and research projects– from antibody candidate to critical high-quality reagent formulation.

SDI continues to leverage its expertise in immunology, proteomics, bio-luminescence and other bio-reactive technologies to broaden its position into the diagnostics, life science and pharmaceutical research markets. For more information, visit www.sdix.com.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements reflecting SDI's current expectations. When used in this press release, words like “anticipate”, “could”, “enable”, “estimate”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “project”, “plan” and similar expressions as they relate to SDI are intended to identify said forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ from those anticipated by SDI at this time. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, changes in demand for products, the application of our technologies to various uses, delays in product development, delays in market acceptance of new products, retention of customers and employees, adequate supply of raw materials, inability to obtain or delays in obtaining fourth party, including AOAC, or required government approvals, the ability to meet increased market demand, competition, protection of intellectual property, non-infringement of intellectual property, seasonality, and other factors more fully described in SDI's public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

SDI Company Contact:
Tim Lawruk
Food Safety Marketing Manager
302-456-6789
tlawruk@sdix.com
or
SDI Investor Contact:
The Trout Group
Brian Korb
646-378-2923
bkorb@troutgroup.com