CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 30, 2009-- Applied Biosystems, part of Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:LIFE), today announced the certification of its TaqMan^® Salmonella enterica Detection Kit for the identification of Salmonella in peanut butter through the new Emergency Response Validation program of the AOAC Research Institute, one of the world’s leading food industry standards organizations. Validation of the Applied Biosystems kit is part of an effort to effectively respond to the recent peanut butter contamination crisis, which resulted in the largest food recall in U.S. history. The TaqMan Salmonella enterica Detection Kit is a molecular-based tool for monitoring the safety of the food supply that could help avoid costly recalls of food products in the future.

The new Emergency Response Validation program is intended to enhance the ability of government and industry to test the food supply for Salmonella, which has been implicated in several recent outbreaks, including peppers, sprouts and tomatoes. The outbreak in peanut butter sickened hundreds of people and has been implicated in at least nine deaths. As part of this program, the AOAC is extending validation of several methods previously certified for the identification of Salmonella in various foods to include detection in peanut butter. This supports food companies’ increasing measures to prevent contaminated foods from reaching consumers.

The TaqMan Salmonella enterica Detection Kit was introduced into the food safety testing market with AOAC Performance Tested Methods^SM certification in 2008 as part of Applied Biosystems’ initiative to serve a broader range of customers. It is a real-time PCR-based method that identifies pathogens by detecting their DNA in food samples, allowing food companies and regulators to quickly and accurately detect contamination. This Applied Biosystems kit enables testing laboratories to obtain results in less than 20 hours, which is significantly faster than alternative methods, which can take up to five days.

Scott Coates, AOAC Research Institute Chief Scientific Officer, Microbiology

“Food companies and government agencies are responding to increasing pressure to protect the health of consumers. The AOAC’s new Emergency Response Validation program supports these enhanced expectations by independently evaluating the technologies that most effectively address Salmonella outbreaks.”

Leonard Klevan, Ph.D., President of Applied Markets at Life Technologies

“Food safety continues to be a high priority that requires ongoing efforts to help protect the health of consumers. We are responding to the concerns of everyone from consumers to the highest levels of government to ensure safety of the food supply. Life Technologies is applying its leadership in developing molecular technologies to help food-testing laboratories in government and industry identify pathogens and help prevent future outbreaks of contamination.”

Additional Resources

Video: Life Technologies Addresses Food Safety Issue

Technical Details: More information about the technology for food-borne pathogen detection

Product Brochure: TaqMan^® Salmonella enterica Detection Kit

Applied Biosystems Technologies Extending Beyond the Research Laboratory

Applied Biosystems is a global leader in applying biology to markets beyond research. These include food and environmental testing, forensic DNA analysis and bioproduction, contributing to people’s well-being and safety. Applied Biosystems, along with Invitrogen – a leading provider of platform independent, essential life science technologies for disease and drug research, bioproduction and diagnostics – is part of Life Technologies. Applied Biosystems and Invitrogen products are used in nearly every major laboratory in the world. For more information, please visit: www.appliedbiosystems.com and www.invitrogen.com.

About Life Technologies

Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:LIFE) is a global biotechnology tools company dedicated to improving the human condition. Our systems, consumables and services enable researchers to accelerate scientific exploration, driving to discoveries and developments that make life even better. Life Technologies customers do their work across the biological spectrum, working to advance personalized medicine, regenerative science, molecular diagnostics, agricultural and environmental research, and 21st century forensics. Life Technologies had sales of more than $3 billion in 2008, employs approximately 9,500 people, has a presence in more than 100 countries, and possesses a rapidly growing intellectual property estate of approximately 3,600 patents and exclusive licenses. Life Technologies was created by the combination of Invitrogen Corporation and Applied Biosystems Inc. For more information on how we are making a difference please visit our website: www.lifetechnologies.com.

Life Technologies’ Safe Harbor Statement

This press release includes forward-looking statements about our 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.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Copyright 2009. Life Technologies Corporation. All rights reserved. Applied Biosystems is a registered trademark of Life Technologies or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or certain other countries. TaqMan is a registered trademark of Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.

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Source: Life Technologies Corporation

Life Technologies Corporation
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