Solus Scientific collaborate with CERTUS™
On the 27th of June CERTUS announced their entry into the food safety industry with the launch of the CERTUS System for rapid pathogen detection and environmental monitoring.
CERTUS, a start-up company out in Chicago, IL, purchased exclusive licensing rights from Becton, Dickson and company (BD) for the SERS (surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy) technology applying it to the food safety market. Along with the assay reagent development collaboration with Solus Scientific, the company offers the CERTUS System which makes environmental testing and monitoring a “Simple, Safe and Smart” process. It greatly reduces time and cost by eliminating media preparation, sample preparation, courier expense and risk of opening an enriched sample in the plant.
Anyone with minimal training will simply swab a surface, add media to the Bio-Lock™ Detection Tube, and insert the tube into the CERTUS Detection Unit to start getting rapid results during the enrichment cycle. Additional benefits include eliminating the need for centrifuges, incubators, pipettes, stomachers, bags and many ancillary items and steps that current methods require.
The company’s patented Grow, Read, Detect™ continuous monitoring process combines enrichment and high sensitivity detection in a homogenous, no-wash format for real-time monitoring; it eliminates complex workflow; and enables any food processor to conduct safe and easy on-site testing, receive instant alerts, and take action to remediate. The first commercial system will be launched in 2018 for environmental monitoring and prevention of Listeria spp.
Solus is proud to have collaborated with CERTUS in the development of novel assay reagent and media components. Simon Illingworth, Nevin Perera and Holly Urquhart, from Solus R&D, provided extensive scientific expertise and knowledge gained developing AFNOR and AOAC accredited immunoassay-based tests specific for the food pathogen testing market. Solus is excited and honoured at the opportunity to join together and continue developing research & development for CERTUS in their efforts at raising the standards in the food safety industry.
