Neogen Corporation, a medical device company, has introduced a "clearly better" test system for microbial counts.

Neogen's new 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. NeoFilm tests are available for coliforms, E. coli, yeast and mold, Staphylococcus aureus, and aerobic bacteria.

"Our simple NeoFilm tests represent the perfect complement to our product line of six other distinct microbial testing families," said James Herbert, Neogen's chief executive officer and chairman. "The global market for convenient microbial tests such as NeoFilm has been estimated to be in excess of $100 million annually. Until now, this market segment has been dominated by one other company; however, with NeoFilm we believe we have a superior product that is technically advanced over the established product."

"NeoFilm is designed with the user in mind and offers advantages, such as greater visual clarity and easy enumeration," said Ed Bradley, Neogen's vice president of Food Safety. "The test films are color-coded for easy identification, and the required incubation time is printed right on the test to simplify the procedure for the technician. The advanced design of NeoFilm simplifies the technician's workflow by allowing test films to be stacked as they are inoculated, freeing up valuable bench space, and eliminating any wait time between inoculation and incubation. NeoFilm requires no 'spreader' and there is no gelling or set-up time making them much easier to handle. Perhaps the biggest advantage is the clarity of the results that NeoFilm provides."

As a validation of their effectiveness, NeoFilm tests for aerobic count, coliform count, and E. coli/coliform count have received certification from the AOAC Research Institute. Similar validations are in process for the remainder of the NeoFilm tests.

Neogen Corporation develops and markets products 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, food allergens, drug residues, plant diseases and sanitation concerns.