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Many “Niches” in the Global Food Microbiology Testing Market

Due out this month, Food Micro, Eighth Edition: Microbiology Testing in the Global Food Industry (Food Micro-8) explores differences in testing by region, food segment, organisms and company structures.

Microbiology testing by food companies around the world is on the rise. Increases are occurring in all geographic regions and across all food segments. The total volume of food microbiology testing worldwide is approaching 1 billion tests annually—an increase of about 125% since 1998.
Routine and Pathogen Food Microbiology Tests Worldwide

Numerous factors are driving the increase in food microbiology testing:

    • The demand for food increases as the world’s population grows.
    • More and more food is produced in food processing facilities.
    • The food produced and sold in most countries includes an increasing amount of food produced outside of the country, with more importing and exporting of ingredients and final product resulting in an ever more complex food chain.
    • Food companies are increasingly proactive in their efforts to ensure safe food that meets label claims.
    • Food safety remains a high priority in the minds of consumers worldwide.
    • Recalls and other food safety issues are a highly covered topic by the media.
    • Regulatory agencies continue to expand food safety requirements and regulations.
    • Food recalls are expensive and extract a heavy toll on both the bottom line and corporate brand.

Publishing this month, Food Micro—8 will provide a thorough review of current and projected microbiology testing practices at food production facilities worldwide, with five-year forecasts provided through to 2018. New to this Edition are five supplemental sections designed to provide additional detailed facts/figures for use by product managers/marketing:

    • Organism Review
    • Food Plant Lab Review
    • Regional Review: North America
    • Regional Review: Europe
    • Regional Review: Asia

Food Micro—8 is the 16th market research report from Strategic Consulting, Inc. (SCI). Since 1996, industrial diagnostic companies, food companies, and government agencies have relied on Strategic Consulting market reports for accurate data and clear analysis of food and industrial microbiology testing practices and methods.

The global food testing market is not homogeneous and test practices vary extensively. Food Micro—8 provides the market metrics and key insights necessary to understand the food microbiology testing market and all of its dynamics and variability.

One clear takeaway from Food Micro—8 is that the global food micro testing market has many niches, with different testing opportunities and needs. There is not one global solution for food safety testing because of the variances in geographic regions, food segments, organisms of concern, and food company structures.

If you’d like to read more, we recently published an article in Food Safety Magazine based on some preliminary data from Food Micro—8. And stay tuned—more information on Food Micro—8 will soon be forthcoming.

 

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8 Things to Know about Bacterial Outbreaks from the Recent CDC Report on Foodborne Outbreaks and Illness

I’ve spent some time analyzing the recent data released by the CDC on foodborne disease outbreaks and illnesses for the period 1998-2010. My basic conclusion from a review of the numbers is that our food supply seems to be safer than the broad estimates provided by the CDC and, as a result, reported by the news media and assumed by the general public.

I discuss some of the broad numbers in my latest blog for Food Safety Magazine, but drill down specifically into foodborne bacterial outbreaks in this blog. read more…

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Food Safety—Is It As Bad As Reported?

Marked by major food recalls, stalled regulations, a continued decline in public confidence and ever-present media coverage, 2012 won’t be remembered as a banner year for food safety.

But, what is the truth about the safety of our food? Is it as bad as reported? read more…

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Comparing Food Safety Testing Practices in the US and Europe: How Fast Is Fast Enough?

US food producers are moving more quickly to new, rapid technologies for their food safety testing programs, while their European counterparts remain more faithful to traditional microbiology test methods, according to Food Micro—7, a new market research report from Strategic Consulting, Inc.

Woodstock, VT October 2, 2012 — A new study comparing food safety testing in the United States and Europe points to key differences between these two large food producing regions, and projects continued but differing growth in the size and value of their respective food microbiology testing markets.

Food Micro, Seventh Edition: Comparison of the Food Microbiology Testing Markets in the US and EU (Food Micro—7) from Strategic Consulting, Inc. (SCI), compares total test volume, market value and growth in food microbiology testing, including the organisms tested and the technologies used for food safety testing in each region. read more…

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Drought, STECs and the Price of Ground Beef

At least two factors will be driving up the cost of ground beef:

  • The abnormal weather that is impacting corn production.
  • The implementation of the new testing regulations for STECs.

I am not a weather expert or fully versed on raising cattle. Having said that, this year’s record high temperatures and drought conditions are certain to drive up the cost of beef. Also impacting the retail price of ground beef will be the new regulations on testing for E. coli O157 and other STECs, which went into effect on June 4, 2012. Everything indicates that the level of positive results will increase significantly under these new regulations. read more…

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Comparison of Food Microbiology Testing Practices Between the US and Europe

Strategic Consulting Poster Compares Food Microbiology Testing Practices

Earlier this month I presented a poster at the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) general meeting, held in San Francisco, CA, June 16-19.

The poster highlighted data from SCI’s newest publication, “Food Micro, Seventh Edition: Comparison of the Food Microbiology Testing Markets in the US and EU”. read more…

Multiplexing Becoming a Reality for Food Pathogen Testing

Dupont and Seegene to jointly develop highly multiplexed assays for food safety testing

In our previous blog post, we discussed the evolution of pathogen testing for food safety and the increasing need for multiplexing to be able to analyze for more than one pathogen at a time. read more…

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Multiplexing for Food Pathogen Analysis

There is a growing need for multiplexing capability for food pathogen analysis.

Historically, food pathogen analysis has relied on assays that measure one analyte at a time. To date, multiplex assays that can simultaneously measure several analytes in a single test have not been feasible, either technically or in fitting into the plant workflow. read more…

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Some Thoughts on Food Safety Summit 2012

Food Safety Summit always leaves me with mixed feelings. Spring is a good time of year for the show, and its D.C. location means excellent attendance by government regulatory personnel. However, Food Safety Summit never seems to totally come together, and every year it leaves me wondering if my time and money have been well spent by attending. read more…

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It Doesn’t Have To Be Molecular To Be A Good Pathogen Test

The Vidas UP Salmonella combines phage technology and a simplified process to improve specificity and speed results.

bioMerieux’s Vidas UP Salmonella test is good. It’s easy to use, provides excellent sensitivity/specificity, is fast and isn’t as expensive as comparable molecular methods. What’s not to like? read more…

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