The DuPont Qualicon BAX® system (available from Oxoid Limited) has met with approval all over the world for the detection of food-borne pathogens in a variety of foods. Receiving acknowledgment and certification from some of the world's toughest regulatory bodies, the BAX* system is being increasingly recognised as a valuable tool for quality assurance in the food and associated industries.

The globally recognised AOAC International has certified the BAX® system as an Official Method for the detection of Salmonella (2003.09) and Listeria monocytogenes (2003.12). In addition, the AOAC Research Institute has awarded Performance Tested Method status to the BAX® system for the detection of Salmonella (100201), Listeria monocytogenes (070202) and E. coli O157:H7 (010401).

In the United States, the BAX® system has been adopted by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) for the detection of Salmonella in raw meat and poultry, along with ready-to-eat meat, poultry and pasteurized eggs (MLG 4C.00), and for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in meat and poultry (MLG 8A.00).

Health Canada has approved the BAX® system in Canada as an analytical method for detecting Salmonella (MFLP-29), Listeria monocytogenes (MFLP-28) E. coli O157:H7 (MFLP-30) and Enterobacter sakazakii (MFLP-27).

The BAX® system has also received AFNOR certification in France for the detection of Salmonella (QUA 18/3 - 11/02) and, in Scandinavia, has been validated and certified as an alternative microbiological method by NordVal for the detection of Salmonella in all foods and animal feed (NV-doc.1-2004-01-01). Furthermore, the BAX® system has been approved for sale by the Ministry of Agriculture in Brazil for the detection of Salmonella, Listeria and L. monocytogenes in all food, environmental and carcass samples, and for the detection of E. coli O157 in beef, poultry and pork.

The BAX® system is a genetics-based, automated testing platform for the rapid detection of food-borne pathogens. BAX® system assays are available for Salmonella, Listeria spp, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7 and Enterobacter sakazakii.