Major Meat Processors Adopt SDI's RapidChek Listeria

Strategic Diagnostics Inc. have issued an update regarding the adoption of its Listeria species testing method by a several major food producers, as part of an overall update on the development of its food pathogen testing business.

"Food quality and microbiology departments are extremely rigorous when evaluating and validating the methods they are going to use in their day-to-day testing processes," commented A.J. McCardell, Business Development Manager. "Adoption of our test by major food production companies is a clear testimonial to the efficiency and effectiveness of the technology we have developed."

"Working hand-in-hand with customers, we have been able to provide quantifiable improvements in customer efficiencies. In some cases these improvements have reduced the customers' total cost of ownership by as much as 50%. Customers have cited such benefits as reduced costs, improved accuracy, and enhanced workflow performance through the use of SDI's RapidChek Listeria system," said McCardell.

In October 2003, new regulations dramatically impacted the need for a better test method that could respond to the higher testing volumes food manufacturers were required to handle. In June of 2004, SDI launched its test for Listeria species. The RapidChek Listeria test is now one of the Company's fastest growing products.

Since its launch, 13 of the top 20 ranked meat processors have either become current customers or are in the evaluation phase of SDI's Listeria system. Two major customers, including one of the world's largest meat processors and a leading global supplier of shelf-stable foods, have joined the growing list of customers adopting the RapidChek Listeria screening system. The Company expects that annual Listeria system sales to each of these two customers will exceed $125,000.

The Company reported that it continues to see progress in both its E.Coli and Salmonella product lines. Ms. McCardell noted, "Our efforts to focus on both the technical and business needs of our customers has allowed us to differentiate with programs that are extremely cost effective, rapid and easy to use. The combination of our proprietary enrichment media and carefully developed immunoassays give our customers the specificity and sensitivity they need to ensure safety and enhance production efficiency."