One of Matrix MicroScience's clients, the California Dept of Public Health (CDPH) has won the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Food Safety Innovation Award.
The presentation was made to the Microbiology Laboratory Staff of the CDPH Food and Drug Laboratory Branch, Richmond, California, USA, at the IAFP 2007 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, USA.
In the IAFP citation, it was noted that the award is presented to an individual or organisation for creating a new idea, practice or product that has improved public health and quality of life by making a positive impact on food safety.
The Microbiology Lab Staff of CDPH were recognised for their innovation in optimising the novel Pathatrix recirculating immunomagnetic separation (RIMS) technique for identifying E coli outbreak strains from food and environmental samples.
The RIMS methodology development was originally a cooperative project between the CDPH Food and Drug Lab Branch, led by Sunee Himathongkham, and the US Food and Drug Administration's San Francisco District Laboratory team, led by David Lau.
The optimised method was used during the 2006 E coli O157:H7 traceback investigation of the outbreaks implicating spinach, milk and lettuce.
Using this method, the molecular pattern of the strains isolated from the environment matched the patient outbreak strains for the first time.
As a result of the studies carried out, the Pathatrix RIMS system has become a CDPH approved method for the isolation of E coli O157:H7; and a paper which has been submitted to the Journal of Food Protection is in press.
Dr Jeff Farrar, Food and Drug Branch (FDB) chief, said, "We appreciate the recognition for the Food and Drug Laboratory Branch and FDA-San Francisco District lab staff who have worked very hard to develop this new method.
"The method was utilised during several recent outbreaks with outstanding success.
"We have already had numerous requests for the methodology.
The Pathatrix RIMS technology is supplied exclusively by Matrix MicroScience and chief executive officer Dr Adrian Parton, said "It is great to see a novel technology being used to solve real problems in the real world.
"CDPH and the FDA were among the first to recognise the potential for the application of the Pathatrix / RIMS methodology.
"And their foresight is now being acknowledged".
