Neogen's newly approved test kit, Reveal® for Salmonella enteritidis, provides the egg industry with a quick, accurate and easy method of detecting this pathogen, as the US Food and Drug Administration implements new SE-regulations. The AOAC's process validated the accuracy of the Reveal for SE system when testing either environmental or egg samples.

Ed Bradley, Neogen's vice president of Food Safety, commented: "The AOAC's approval further validates our test as an invaluable tool to egg producers, as they comply with the FDA's new regulations, and seek to further reduce the likelihood of SE-contaminated eggs reaching consumers. Until our introduction of an effective rapid test for SE, the industry had to wait up to seven days for an outside laboratory's test results. Reveal for SE enables the industry to get results within 48 hours – and provides the rapid, accurate answer they need to manage their flocks and egg production."

Reveal for SE is the only rapid test available for SE that follows the FDA's sample enrichment protocol and has received AOAC approval. Neogen, in cooperation with USDA scientists, began the development of this test in 2000.

Mr Bradley continuied: "Using a rapid test for SE that uses the same sample enrichment protocol as the FDA not only allows analysts to quickly screen out negative test results, but also is compatible with the FDA confirmation process by using the same enriched samples," said Bradley. "Especially now, with the heightened concern for contaminated eggs, time is of the essence."

The foodborne illness caused by SE is generally due to eating raw, incompletely cooked, or recontaminated eggs. Ingestion of SE-contaminated poultry meat is the second leading cause of this illness.