Neogen’s NeoFilm® yeast and mold test now AOAC validated

LANSING, Mich., Dec. 3, 2014 — Neogen Corporation’s rapid and accurate test to detect yeast and mold in a variety of food matrices has been granted Performance TestedSM Method status by the AOAC Research Institute.

Neogen’s newly validated NeoFilm® for Yeast and Mold test produces accurate results in as little as 48 hours; conventional yeast and mold methods can take up to seven days. Neogen’s NeoFilm microbial tests require only the inoculation of a fabric sample pad and an incubation period. Following incubation, the sample pad is evaluated for bacterial colony growth.

“The NeoFilm yeast and mold test was shown to produce rapid and accurate results—allowing for quicker product releases that improve profitability,” said Ed Bradley, Neogen’s vice president of Food Safety. “Yeasts and molds are unique, as they represent a large and diverse group of microorganisms that can cause various degrees of deterioration and decomposition of foods. We are pleased that the AOAC-approval further validates our test as an invaluable tool to food producers.”

To earn the AOAC validation, the performance of Neogen NeoFilm for Yeast and Mold test was compared to the FDA’s Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) reference culture procedure for the ability to detect yeasts and molds in breaded chicken nuggets, dry pet food, orange juice concentrate, yogurt, and cake mix. Results of the internal and independent laboratory studies demonstrate that the NeoFilm method is an effective test for the enumeration of yeasts and molds in the food matrices tested.

With the validation of the NeoFilm for Yeast and Mold test, all of Neogen’s NeoFilm tests have been validated by the AOAC Research Institute. Neogen’s other AOAC-validated NeoFilm products include tests for aerobic count, coliform count, and E. coli/coliform count.

The NeoFilm tests simply detect and quantify microbiological organisms in environmental samples, process material and finished product. Diluted samples are inoculated on thin films, incubated, and then colonies are counted. The tests are easy to prepare and easy to interpret with a broad range of applications.

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