Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture Selects DuPont Qualicon RiboPrinter(R) System for Use in Food Safety

WILMINGTON, Del., July 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA) has selected the DuPont Qualicon RiboPrinter(R) system for its use in food safety by creating a database of microorganisms that are identified by geographic region. This information will help the agency understand which pathogens in which foods are affecting the Brazilian population.

The RiboPrinter(R) system will also be used in MAPA's pathogen reduction plan for the meat and poultry industries. The plan requires that all positive results for Salmonella and Listeria be identified and characterized by genus and species. In this context, the RiboPrinter(R) system will be used for the identification, characterization and development of an electronic database containing patterns of all ribotyped strains of bacteria identified in the food samples.

According to Josinete Barros de Freitas, chief of the Audits and Accreditation division and responsible for MAPA's microbiology department, "In addition to the RiboPrinter(R) system adoption, MAPA has also approved the DuPont(TM) BAX(R) system as the Official Reference Method for detecting Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in foods and environmental samples, reflecting MAPA's strong commitment toward food safety in the Brazilian market."

"We are pleased that MAPA has once again chosen a DuPont Qualicon product to help maintain its high standards for the safety of food products in Brazil," said Kevin Huttman, president of DuPont Qualicon.

The patented RiboPrinter(R) system is the world's only automated DNA fingerprinting instrument that rapidly pinpoints sources of bacteria. The system produces and compares a genetic "snapshot" - a RiboPrint(TM) pattern - against a database of more than 6,000 patterns to identify a potential pathogen in only eight hours. Because the RiboPrinter(R) system can include historical information and also characterize bacteria below the species level, food producers and processors can track groups of offending microbes and recognize trends in the environment.

"The RiboPrinter(R) and the BAX(R) systems have become an important network for bacterial research in Brazil," said Eduardo Carlos de Gosztonyi Abecia, director of Madasa do Brasil, Ltda., DuPont Qualicon's Brazilian distributor. "This is an important accomplishment for a country that has set itself up as the major meat and poultry exporter and has been investing in the modernization of its official laboratories."

MAPA has also recently issued the AUP (Product Use Authorization) authorizing the use of the DuPont(TM) Lateral Flow System(TM) in the Brazilian territory. These immunoassay-based test strips can be used to detect Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli O157.

DuPont Qualicon provides science-based diagnostic products that are innovative, practical and used by food, pharmaceutical and personal care companies around the world to help protect their products, productivity and brands. For more information, please see http://www.qualicon.com/.

DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.

The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont(TM), The miracles of science(TM), RiboPrinter(R), BAX(R) and Lateral Flow System(TM) are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates.