New Contaminant Testing Method from Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX Developed To Help Improve Food Safety.Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX responds to new issues of global food contamination FOSTER CITY, Calif. -- Applied Biosystems Applied Biosystems, Inc. (formerly NASDAQ: ABIO) is the original name of a pioneer biotechnology company founded in 1981 in Foster City, California, among the Silicon Valley cities of the southern San Francisco Bay Area. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : ABI Abi (ā`bī) [short for Abijah], in the Bible, King Hezekiah's mother. (Application Binary Interface) A specification for a specific hardware platform combined with the operating system. ), an Applera Corporation business, and its joint venture partner, Sciex, a division of MDS MDS, n See temporomandibular pain-dysfunction syndrome. MDS 1 Maternal deprivation syndrome, see there 2 Myelodysplastic syndrome, see there Inc.'s Analytical Technologies business, (NYSE: MDZ MDZ Mendez MDZ Moskauer Deutsche Zeitung (Moscow German newspaper) MDZ Maritime Defense Zone MDZ Musik Der Zukunft (music label & community) MDZ Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina - El Plumerillo , TSX TSX Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE before April, 2002) TSX Transfer from Stack Pointer to Index TSX True Space Extension : MDS), today announced the release of a new food testing method intended to help public health laboratories and food manufacturers improve food safety. Multiple federal agencies, including the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Customs & Border Protection, continue comprehensive, science-based investigations to ensure human and animal health are protected from contaminants recently identified in animal feed and pet food.1 The new method to test for the chemicals melamine melamine (mĕl`əmēn'), common name for 2,4,6-triamino-1,3,5-triazine. Melamine is a trimer (see polymer) of cyanamide, H2NC≡N, and is synthesized from calcium carbide. and cyanuric acid cy·a·nu·ric acid n. A white crystalline acid, C3N3(OH)3, that decomposes with heating to form cyanic acid. Noun 1. , called Food Testing Method for Melamine and Cyanuric Acid, is designed to increase the accuracy and reduce the amount of time to identify the harmful food contaminants Food contamination refers to the presence in food of harmful chemicals and microorganisms which can cause consumer illness. This article addresses the chemical contamination of foods, as opposed to microbiological contamination, which can be found under Foodborne illness. melamine and cyanuric acid from 30 minutes to less than six minutes.2 This new method is based on a scientific technology called liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is an analytical chemistry technique that combines the physical separation capabilities of liquid chromatography (aka HPLC) with the mass analysis capabilities of mass spectrometry. , which is used in laboratories for molecular analysis, including food testing. The Food Testing Method for Melamine and Cyanuric Acid is the first commercially available method to test for both contaminants simultaneously with this advanced technology. Researchers at the University of Guelph's Agriculture and Food Laboratory in Ontario, Canada were among the first scientists to identify melamine in tainted taint v. taint·ed, taint·ing, taints v.tr. 1. To affect with or as if with a disease. 2. To affect with decay or putrefaction; spoil. See Synonyms at contaminate. 3. pet food in North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. this year and to verify the need to test for cyanuric acid. Melamine is an industrial chemical used in plastics and fertilizer. Cyanuric acid is a chemical used in outdoor swimming pools and hot tubs. The concern that the harm of crystals formed from melamine and cyanuric acid, as identified in the kidneys of several pets that died this year, could extend to affect animals that humans consume - such as chickens and hogs - has driven the need for broader assessments of food safety. The team of researchers at the University of Guelph The University of Guelph is a medium-sized university located in Guelph, Ontario, established in 1964. While the U of G offers degrees in many different disciplines, the university is best known for its focus on life sciences, based in part on a long-standing history of provided input to assist Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX in defining the requirements for the new method intended for standardized use in laboratories performing food testing in accordance with regulatory requirements. The researchers standardized their food testing laboratory on Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX's mass spectrometry mass spectrometry or mass spectroscopy Analytic technique by which chemical substances are identified by sorting gaseous ions by mass using electric and magnetic fields. technology to analyze food chemical contaminants. "The best available technologies, methods, and insight need to be applied to accurately determine whether or not food is safe," said Perry Martos, a researcher at the University of Guelph. "If public confidence in the safety of the food supply is to be widely restored, food testing globally needs to become faster and more consistent. Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX's new food contaminant contaminant /con·tam·i·nant/ (kon-tam´in-int) something that causes contamination. contaminant something that causes contamination. testing method is a step in the right direction to get food analysis technicians to the most reliable results as soon as possible in every test." Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX developed this new method as a means of assisting laboratories to test for melamine and cyanuric acid in a single analysis with immediate confirmation of accurate results. By using this method, technicians can analyze a broader range of food in less time. Other techniques, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, require extensive sample preparation and longer run times. Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX's mass spectrometers eliminate this complexity and give users the ability to more efficiently take advantage of the high sensitivity and selectivity of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for increased accuracy. "Food safety is a critically important issue that needs to be addressed from regulatory, production and scientific perspectives," said Laura Lauman, president for Applied Biosystems' proteomics and small molecules division. "By delivering an advanced science-based food testing method to increase efficiency and accuracy of results, Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX continues to play an active role in assisting government agencies and food producers to ensure a safe food supply." The new method is being delivered through a software application suite known as Cliquid[TM] Software for Routine Food Testing from Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX. The Cliquid software provides a simple process to use advanced mass spectrometry systems for routine food testing. Cliquid Software for Routine Food Testing increases the precision and comprehensiveness of food contaminant testing, while also simplifying the process for routine analysis. Laboratories have used Cliquid software to test for other food contaminants, such as pesticides, dyes and mold-related toxins, in addition to chemical and antibiotic residues. "It is critical that routine food testing deliver precision and reliability in a simple process to improve food safety over the long term," said Andy Boorn, president for MDS Analytical Technologies. "Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX has advanced food testing to the stage where laboratory technicians without specialized training in mass spectrometry can get all the benefits of the increased accuracy, without the complexity." For more information, please visit the following web page: http://info.appliedbiosystems.com/food_safety_testing About Applera Corporation and Applied Biosystems Applera Corporation consists of two operating groups. The Applied Biosystems Group serves the life science industry and research community by developing and marketing instrument-based systems, consumables, software, and services. Customers use these tools to analyze nucleic acids Nucleic acids The cellular molecules DNA and RNA that act as coded instructions for the production of proteins and are copied for transmission of inherited traits. (DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. and RNA RNA: see nucleic acid. RNA in full ribonucleic acid One of the two main types of nucleic acid (the other being DNA), which functions in cellular protein synthesis in all living cells and replaces DNA as the carrier of genetic ), small molecules, and proteins to make scientific discoveries and develop new pharmaceuticals. Applied Biosystems' products also serve the needs of some markets outside of life science research, which we refer to as "applied markets," such as the fields of: human identity testing (forensic and paternity testing paternity testing see parentage testing. ); biosecurity, which refers to products needed in response to the threat of biological terrorism Noun 1. biological terrorism - terrorism using the weapons of biological warfare bioterrorism act of terrorism, terrorism, terrorist act - the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are and other malicious, accidental, and natural biological dangers; and quality and safety testing, for example in food and the environment. Applied Biosystems is headquartered in Foster City, CA, and reported sales of $1.9 billion during fiscal 2006. The Celera Group is primarily a molecular diagnostics business that is using proprietary genomics and proteomics discovery platforms to identify and validate novel diagnostic markers, and is developing diagnostic products based on these markers as well as other known markers. Celera maintains a strategic alliance with Abbott for the development and commercialization of molecular, or nucleic acid-based, diagnostic products, and it is also developing new diagnostic products outside of this alliance. Through its genomics and proteomics research efforts, Celera is also discovering and validating therapeutic targets, and it is seeking strategic partnerships to develop therapeutic products based on these discovered targets. Information about Applera Corporation, including reports and other information filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is available at http://www.applera.com, or by telephoning 800.762.6923. Information about Applied Biosystems is available at http://www.appliedbiosystems.com. About MDS Inc. MDS Inc. (TSX: MDS; NYSE: MDZ) is a global life sciences company that provides market-leading products and services that our customers need for the development of drugs and diagnosis and treatment of disease. We are a leading global provider of pharmaceutical contract research, medical isotopes for molecular imaging, radiotherapeutics, and analytical instruments. MDS has more than 6,200 highly skilled people in 28 countries. Find out more at www.mdsinc.com or by calling 1-888-MDS-7222, 24 hours a day. About Sciex Sciex is a division of MDS Analytical Technologies. The Sciex product portfolio offers proven market leadership in mass spectrometry through its joint ventures with two of the world's leading analytical instrumentation and life sciences companies, Applied Biosystems, a business of the Applera Corporation and PerkinElmer Inc. Find out more at www.mdssciex.com Applied Biosystems Forward Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking. These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "should," "expect," and "planned," among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Applera Corporation's current expectations. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995 provides a "safe harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. " for such forward-looking statements. In order to comply with the terms of the safe harbor, Applera Corporation notes that a variety of factors could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors include but are not limited to: (1) rapidly changing technology and dependence on the development and customer acceptance of new products; (2) sales dependent on customers' capital spending capital spending Spending for long-term assets such as factories, equipment, machinery, and buildings that permits the production of more goods and services in future years. policies and government-sponsored research; and (3) other factors that might be described from time to time in Applera Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Applera does not undertake any duty to update this information, including any forward-looking statements, unless required by law. Footnote: 1. FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. web site: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01629.html 2. The reduction of time from 30 minutes to less than six minutes is based on Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX's lab results on LC/MS/MS technology. Applied Biosystems, AB (Design), Applera and Celera are registered trademarks of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries in the US and/or certain other countries. Cliquid is a trademark of Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX, a joint venture between Applera Corporation and MDS Inc. Copyright(c) 2007. Applera Corporation and MDS Inc. All rights reserved. |
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