0
MatMaCorp, a developer of comprehensive molecular diagnostic systems, announced today the successful evaluation of a genetic test to detect African swine fever virus (ASFV) in uncooked pork products. Raw pork products are the most common way the virus is spread. The evaluation was done as part of a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate program to identify new technologies that secure the U.S. food supply and monitor food imports and exports.
“An outbreak of African swine fever is a very real threat that could devastate the domestic pork export market, and as developers of diagnostic technologies for science and agriculture, we found it of the utmost importance to make available a genetic test that could potentially help protect our pork supply,” said Phil Kozera, CEO at MatMaCorp. “The MatMaCorp platform provides a cost-effective, simple test for rapid detection of the African swine fever virus, and it could be easily implemented on-site to monitor food imports and exports.”
MatMaCorp’s device and test can detect the virus that causes African swine fever in raw pork products. DHS S&T scientists evaluated virus-infected samples from meat muscle as well as from bone marrow and spleen. With MatMaCorp’s test, the virus was detected in all the sample types that were tested. The ability to detect the virus in such samples can help processing plants to monitor for viral contamination before exporting products. Similarly, the test could be used to check imported pork products for the virus before they reach the market.
Dr. Abe Oommen, MatMaCorp founder and President, said, “We are ready to make this test available immediately to protect our world’s food supply against African swine fever and other emerging transboundary animal diseases.”
MatMaCorp’s customizable platform is designed to quickly analyze genetic information, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from any biological sample, at any location. The platform includes a simple DNA/RNA isolation kit and a custom assay that is run on a small, portable device. MatMaCorp’s platform and test for ASFV is cost-effective and easy to use, because it does not require extensive laboratory equipment and skills and can deliver results on-site within hours.
March 24, 2020 - MatMaCorp
