Molecular Detection for Rapid Food Pathogen Testing and Identification

Assurance^® GDS employs an advanced Polymerase Chain Reaction or PCR-based pathogen screening method to test various pathogens in food and environmental samples. Assurance^® GDS is an automated nucleic acid amplification system designed to provide the most accurate and reliable results – validated across a wide range of matrices. It is specifically developed to meet the daily rigors & requirements of food testing laboratories.

Assurance^® GDS system for food pathogen detection

The Assurance^® GDS genetic detection system combines the latest advancements in molecular detection technology and food microbiology to provide faster results with the increased accuracy required to meet today’s food and environmental testing challenges.

The Assurance^® GDS system comprises three simple steps:

• Sample enrichment
• Sample preparation assays utilizing our innovative GDS PickPen^® immunomagnetic separation (IMS) device
• PCR analysis with the GDS Rotor-Gene^® thermal cycler which includes an automated interpretation of the results

Molecular Detection System for Rapid Food Pathogen Testing

Learn how the many advancements in molecular detection technology can improve your lab’s efficiency and overall performance.

• Assurance^® GDS utilizes proprietary magnetic particles to capture the targeted living organism from the enriched sample, ensuring valid (robust) PCR reactions for all sample matrices
• The innovative Assurance^® GDS PickPen^® concentration device quickly & easily collects and transfers the concentrated target pathogens—8 samples at a time
• The patented probes and primers utilize highly conserved target gene sequences
• Multiplex platform allows for the simultaneous detection of multiple targets within each amplification tube
• Patented rotary formats allow for fast cycling

PickPen^® IMS technology improves assay sensitivity and detection by concentrating only living targeted bacteria from enrichment broth independently with matrix variability. Results are obtained on the same day or next day, instead of following a multi-day full cultural test and confirmation, improving the time to result according to user’s requirements (e.g., saving time for perishable samples).

ASSURANCE^® GDS System for Fast and Accurate Pathogen Detection

Food pathogen testing by the Assurance^® GDS system brings advances in speed, simplicity, specificity and sensitivity.

Simplicity

From start to finish, the Assurance^® GDS system is designed to be simple, flexible and easy to run.

• Easy sample prep with no centrifugation or heating blocks
• Concentration of living cells, removal of background flora and/or inhibitors
• Robust PCR amplification, independent of frequently ambiguous melt curve analysis used after amplification to determine results
• Get faster results (as little as 8 hours) with mEHEC^® media – a fast proprietary enrichment, that has been harmonized for use with Salmonella, EHEC, and STEC assays

Speed

Assurance^® GDS Rotor-Gene^® instrument is an innovative centrifugal air-exchange thermal cycler that is faster than many conventional cyclers.

Specificity

The system’s patented primers and probes ensure greater accuracy. Each amplification tube contains a set of highly specific patented primers, probes and a discrete internal control, which ensures the highest level of specificity.

• Minimizes the risk for cross-reactivity with non-target organisms
• Fewer indeterminate or false positive reactions
• Three levels of specificity give reliable pathogen identification
• Provides greater confidence in results

Sensitivity

Assurance^® GDS system delivers a large amount of high-quality DNA for analysis, ensuring a higher degree of sensitivity.

• The innovative patent-pending sample preparation procedure utilizes proprietary magnetic particles to capture and transfer the targeted living bacteria cells from the enriched sample to the amplification tube
• Concentrated sample creates abundant DNA, available for analysis allowing for a shorter enrichment

Microbiological Method Validations

Our Assurance^® GDS kits have been validated for a range of sample sizes and multiple sample matrices, including meat, poultry, dairy, RTE meat, produce, seafood, eggs, infant formula, chocolate, and environmental surfaces.

Automated sample preparation with the GDS PICKPEN^® PIPETMAX^® (PPMX) System

The GDS PickPen^® PipetMax^® instrument easily automates routine sample preparation and pathogen detection, saving time and allowing you to focus on other critical laboratory tasks via several key features:

• Flexible modular design accommodates existing lab layout and workflows
• Efficient protocols for small and large runs to maximize productivity
• Reduces PCR sample preparation labor by up to 50% and removes user variation by standardizing results
• Small footprint saves valuable lab bench space and manages cost