Applications > Food and Beverage Testing

Food and Beverage Testing

Introduction

This section relates to food safety diagnostics involving bacterial contamination of raw materials, manufacturing equipment and manufactured product. The primary industries involved in this sector are catering and food service establishments, food and beverage manufacturers, meat processing and packing plants, dairies and breweries.

Foodborne transmission of pathogenic and toxigenic microorganisms has been a recognized hazard for decades. Food safety is evaluated in terms of acceptable levels of risk and is enhanced by systematically minimizing contamination at every point from food production and processing to distribution, preparation, and consumption. The food test menu includes a wide variety of organisms. The most common contaminants include: Salmonella, Shigella, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Campylobacter jejuni, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Yersinia enterocolitica, and others.

In the past 3-5 years food safety issues and concerns for public health have lead to more stringent legislation in food safety requirements. Legislation has produced increased demand for pathogen and toxin tests in just about every segment of the food production industry - processed food, meats, poultry, beverages, and dairy; and by all major food producers worldwide.

The market for food diagnostics is highly diversified and still developing. The food and beverage sector (food) is the largest segment within the industrial rapid test market. Overall, more than 600 million tests were performed, worldwide in 2005, with a market value of $1 billion. This sector is expected to see annual growth of 5% for the next five years.

In 2005/06 Lateral flow tests for food and beverage testing accounted for only 9% of all immunoassays used in this sector ($290 million, worldwide, in 2005). Improvements in performance and integration of new paradigms, such as nucleic acid lateral flow detection coupled with isothermal amplification methods will result in increased penetration of the market by rapid tests.


World LF Test Revenues (US$ millions)
Sales
2005		 %
Mkt		 Sales
2010		 %
Mkt		 %
CAGR
 
Clinical 1,880 90 2,725 89 8
Veterinary 175 8 270 9 9
Food & Beverage 25 1 50 1 15
Pharma/Biologics 10 0.4 20 1 15
Environment 5 0.2 6 0.2 4
Water Utilities 5 0.2 6 0.2 4
2,100 100 3,077 100 8
Source: DCN Market and Technical Report: (Pushing Lateral Flow to the Limits)

Numerous opportunities are available in this market, taking advantage of the sensitivity, specificity, ease of use and the growing ability for quantification with these assay formats.

DCN’s broad experience in the development of highly sensitive assays using the most advanced fluorescent, visual and magnetic labels and readers, coupled with our ability to design sample handling and treatment methods for a variety of samples, make DCN your ideal partner for the development or manufacture of assays for this segment.

For a detailed discussion of market opportunities and appropriate technologies for lateral flow and flow through market segments, see DCN’s Technology and Market Report on the point of need diagnostics market, entitled Pushing Lateral Flow to the Limits. Contact us for information on how to order this report.

Advantages of lateral flow and flow through assays in this market segment

DCN has developed numerous assays in this market area. Examples include:

Developing or manufacturing assays for Food and Beverage Testing?

DCN offers a variety of products and services specifically designed to meet your needs, including:

Services
Platforms for development:
Reader Systems for lateral flow and flow through tests:
Sample Collection and Handling Devices
High Sensitivity Labels for Development
Reagents