Neogen adds hazelnut test to food allergen products

LANSING, Mich., Feb. 28, 2006 — Neogen has expanded its line of food allergen test kits, already the most comprehensive available, to include a quantitative and screening test for hazelnut.

The new hazelnut test adds to Neogen’s line of food allergen test kits, which includes rapid tests for peanuts, milk, eggs, almonds, gliadin (gluten), and soy flour. Neogen is the recognized leader in development and marketing of diagnostic tests to detect the inadvertent contamination of food with allergens that are not listed on the ingredient label.

Neogen’s new Veratox® for Hazelnut test kit is in the same format as its previously released food allergen tests, and utilizes similar laboratory equipment. The new test features separate test procedures to either fully quantitate in the range of 2.5 to 25 parts per million (ppm), or screen samples at a set level using one of the controls provided with the test kit (2.5, 5, 10, and 25 ppm). The new test has received excellent response and consistent results from independent laboratories.

Unlabeled food allergens have been the cause of the majority of food recalls in recent years. While researchers have identified more than 160 foods that contain naturally-occurring proteins that have been shown to cause allergic reactions, researchers also estimate that 90% of all food allergic reactions are caused by just eight common foods: eggs, milk, peanuts, soy, wheat, crustaceans, fish, and tree nuts.

Neogen’s new hazelnut test kit is intended for the analysis of hazelnut protein in food ingredients intended for use in prepared foods, such as cookies, chocolate bars, ice cream, and cereals, and on environmental surfaces and clean-in-place (CIP) rinse waters.

Neogen’s food allergen testing products have been developed in close cooperation with the University of Nebraska’s Food Allergy Research and Resource Program (FARRP, www.farrp.org). FARRP is a food industry and university partnership that was formed to provide research and resource tools to the food industry. It is the leader in training and educating the industry on allergen awareness.

Neogen Corporation (Nasdaq: NEOG) develops and markets products and services dedicated to food and animal safety. The Company’s Food Safety Division markets dehydrated culture media, and diagnostic test kits to detect foodborne bacteria, natural toxins, genetic modifications, food allergens, ruminant by-products, drug residues, plant diseases and sanitation concerns.

Certain portions of this news release that do not relate to historical financial information constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Actual future results and trends may differ materially from historical results or those expected depending on a variety of factors listed in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in the Company’s most recently filed Form 10-K.