Life Technologies Develops Simplified SAME-DAY STEC Solution for Detecting Multiple Strains of E. coli in Ground Beef

CARLSBAD, Calif., July 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) has developed a complete rapid molecular testing workflow for multiple strains of pathogenic Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC), a bacteria found in undercooked beef.

Meat producers require a faster and simpler method to accurately detect multiple STEC strains, which can include the well-known O157:H7 serotype as well as more than 100 non-O157 strains.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) now requires testing for the "Big Six" non-O157 strains (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121 and O145) that cause about 70 percent of non-O157 infection, but this testing requires new analytical methods.

The USDA Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook (MLG) method is the formal approach recommended by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) for the testing and isolation of the "Big 6" STECs in ground beef and beef trim in the U.S.  Life Technologies offers many of the reagents validated in the USDA FSIS MLG method.

While the MLG method provides confident results and isolation of the pathogen, the six -day process is too long, requires too many reagents, and requires significant technician training and processing, all of which drives up the cost.  

Life Technologies has been collaborating with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to validate assay designs against an extensive panel of both pathogenic and non-pathogenic STECs of various o- group and origin.  The result is highly-specific, single-target PCR assays which can be multiplexed to provide high levels of accuracy for a high-throughput screening assay.

The Life Technologies workflow will provide faster, simpler detection with the same level of sensitivity and accuracy produced by the MLG method:

• Simplify your workflow – Compatible with your existing testing program and simultaneously detects E. coli O157:H7 and the "Big 6" non-O157 E. coli in 375g of ground beef and beef trim samples.
• Greater confidence in results – Detects as little as 1 to 5cfu of pathogenic STEC in your sample, with proprietary assay designs that lower chances for false positives and eliminate false negatives.
• Same day product release – Same day detection of pathogenic STECs.  Clearance of 375g of ground beef and beef trim samples in as little as 10 hours.

"The more strains of E. coli that meat producers can quickly and accurately analyze, the more likely they can ensure that beef is safe for public consumption, and poses no threat of illnesses caused by foodborne bacterium," said Nir Nimrodi, Vice President and General Manager of Food Safety and Animal Health at Life Technologies.

Life Technologies developed the complete sample-to-answer testing workflow based on its core competencies in:

• Superior DNA sample preparation capabilities;
• Simple, accurate and sensitive real-time PCR assay formats designed with our "best in class" DNA sequencing and bioinformatics capabilities; and
• Sample analysis and data interpretation.

About Life Technologies
Life Technologies Corporation is a global biotechnology company with customers in more than 160 countries using its innovative solutions to solve some of today's most difficult scientific challenges.  Quality and innovation are accessible to every lab with its reliable and easy-to-use solutions spanning the biological spectrum with more than 50,000 products for translational research, molecular medicine and diagnostics, stem cell-based therapies, forensics, food safety and animal health. Its systems, reagents and consumables, represent some of the most cited brands in scientific research including: Ion Torrent™, Applied Biosystems®, Invitrogen™, GIBCO®, Ambion®, Molecular Probes®, Novex®, and TaqMan®.  Life Technologies employs approximately 10,400 people and upholds its ongoing commitment to innovation with more than 4,000 patents and exclusive licenses.  LIFE had sales of $3.7 billion in 2011.  Visit us at our website: http://www.lifetechnologies.com

Life Technologies' Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements about Life Technologies' anticipated results that involve risks and uncertainties.  Some of the information contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements as to industry trends and Life Technologies' plans, objectives, expectations and strategy for its business, contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements.  When used, the words "believe," "plan," "intend," "anticipate," "target," "estimate," "expect" and the like, and/or future tense or conditional constructions ("will," "may," "could," "should," etc.), or similar expressions, identify certain of these forward-looking statements. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are detailed in filings made by Life Technologies with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Life Technologies undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

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Life Technologies Contact
Patty Zamora
760-476-7818
760-277-1669 (mobile)
[email protected]

SOURCE Life Technologies Corporation