The partnership will assess the efficiency of PathogenDx’s microarray testing technology in detecting food borne pathogens across the food supply chain
The USDA and PathogenDx will collaborate on foodborne pathogens study. (Credit: skeeze from Pixabay)
The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) will work with the Arizona-based technology company PathogenDx on a study to quickly detect foodborne pathogens in food and environmental samples.
The partnership will evaluate the efficiency of PathogenDx’s microarray testing technology in detecting food borne pathogens across the food supply chain.
As per CDC estimates, one in every five foodborne illnesses is due to the consumption of contaminated fresh produce.
PathogenDx’s advanced technology uses swabs to conveniently test food contact surfaces
PathogenDx’sa advanced technology contains swabs, which holds the capacity to conveniently evaluate food contact surfaces at any point in the supply chain.
The results will be delivered in six hours by the ultra-rapid method. The microarray technology is said to test each microbe in triplicate while assessing multiple pathogens at the same time, enabling to enhance accuracy and saving both time and money.
According to PathogenDx, its rapid detection testing technology will be applied to post-harvest sources of contamination, under the deal.
PathogenDx CEO Patel said: “We applaud the USDA in applying our Microarray technology platform to get to the bottom of serious contamination occurring in our food supply.
“PathogenDx technology allows food producers to pinpoint exactly where contamination is occurring in the food supply chain so that it can be contained before products move onto shelves.
“We are proud to work with this esteemed agency to develop an end-to-end testing solution that secures the nation’s most precious resource: our food supply.”
PathogenDx claims that its technology has the potential to identify and detect up to 50 pathogens all in a single test in six hours. The technology company provides DNA-testing products such as DetectX, QuantX and EnviroX.
In August this year, USDA broken ground on its Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) new Agricultural Research Technology Center in Salinas, California.