Strategic Diagnostics Announces AOAC Approval for Food Pathogen Test System; USDA Certifies Use of Mycotoxin Test.

Business Editors

NEWARK, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 22, 2002

Strategic Diagnostics Inc. (Nasdaq: SDIX) today announced the RapidChek(TM) E. coli O157 Test Kit has earned Performance Tested Certification from the AOAC Research Institute (Method no.070201). E. coli O157 is a deadly foodborne bacteria typically found in beef products with almost 2 million tests performed each year in the U.S. AOAC validated the use of the RapidChek(TM) E. coli O157 lateral flow test cassette for use in boneless beef, ground beef, and apple cider. Using SDI's proprietary, one-step RapidChek(TM) media, sample enrichment can be performed in as little as 8 hours. The RapidChek(TM) test system offers several advantages over products currently in the market including room temperature storage, no sample boiling and faster, easier to read test strips.

Scott Coates, Director of the AOAC Research Institute commented, "AOAC's third party review of the RapidChek(TM) system confirms that the method meets its performance claims. By passing this rigorous review process, the RapidChek(TM) E. coli products are entitled to display the AOAC Performance Tested logo and should be a valuable tool for the food testing industry."

Richard C. Birkmeyer, President and CEO of SDI commented, "We are very pleased to enter into the $300 million food pathogen testing market with such a dynamic new product. We have already initiated third party evaluations at several meat processing facilities and testing laboratories and the results are very encouraging. They have found the RapidChek(TM) test cassette to be faster and easier to interpret than other products on the market."

In a separate development, the Company announced that the USDA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) has issued its certification of the MycoCheck(TM) test kit for the detection of fumonisin, which is a common mycotoxin found in corn. The market for test kits for the detection of mycotoxins is estimated to be $22-25 million annually. SDI's family of tests offers meaningful competitive advantages. All the MycoCheck(TM) test kits are USDA GIPSA certified, and are in a format that allows easy, visual, semi-quantitative analysis as well as instrument-based quantitative analysis. The Company believes that these competitive advantages and its existing customer relationships established with major food manufacturers, position the Company to attract a meaningful market share of mycotoxin kit sales.

About Strategic Diagnostics Inc.

SDI is a leading provider of biotechnology-based diagnostic tests for a broad range of agricultural, industrial, and water treatment applications. Through its antibody business, Strategic BioSolutions, Strategic Diagnostics also provides antibody and immunoreagent research and development services. SDI's test kits are produced in a variety of formats suitable for field and laboratory use, offering advantages of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, portability, and rapid response. Trait Check(TM), GMO QuickCheck(TM), and GMO Check(TM) are pending trademarks for SDI.

This news release contains forward-looking statements reflecting SDI's current expectations. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate", "enable", "estimate", "intend", "expect", "believe", "potential", "will", "should", "project" "plan" and similar expressions as they relate to SDI are intended to identify said forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ from those anticipated by SDI at this time. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, changes in demand for products, delays in product development, delays in market acceptance of new products, retention of customers and employees, adequate supply of raw materials, the successful integration and consolidation of the Maine production facilities, inability to obtain or delays in obtaining third party, including AOAC, or required government approvals, the ability to meet increased market demand, competition, protection of intellectual property, non-infringement of intellectual property, seasonality, and other factors more fully described in SDI's public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.