Food Protection Trends - June 2009 - 362

Gold Sustaining Member Profile D Diagnostics, a leading global medical technology company that manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents, is dedicated to improving people’s health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug therapy, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases, and advancing research and discovery of new drugs and vaccines. The company’s capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world’s most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs approximately 27,000 people in approximately 50 countries throughout the world. B T he company’s original microbiology products division, Baltimore Biological Laboratories (founded in 1935 and acquired by BD in 1955), undertook the study of the preparation of peptones and development of culture media.The acronym “BBL” became the brand name for products offered by the company. Difco Laboratories, founded in 1895, produced high quality enzymes, dehydrated tissues, and glandular products. In 1934, the focus was to develop new and improved bacteriological culture media, many of which were adopted as “standard” formulations in water, dairy, food, pharmaceutical and other microbiological laboratories. In June 1997, the merger of Difco Laboratories with the Microbiology Systems division brought together the leading providers of microbiology products to industrial and clinical microbiology laboratories worldwide, with over 180 years of combined experience. Today, both businesses comprise BD Diagnostics – Diagnostic Systems, headquartered in Sparks, MD, near the city of Baltimore. Continuing this tradition of excellence, BD has developed an innovative line of media that incorporates carefully selected synthetic chromogenic and/or fluorogenic substrates.This novel technology has been shown to provide improved accuracy and faster detection than other traditional primary culture media. Depending on the media type and organism, identification may be accomplished without the need for confirmatory testing, subculturing, or supplemental biochemical or latex testing, leading to more efficient use of technologist time and earlier reporting of final results. In addition, four chromogenic media, all BBL™ CHROMagar™ formulations, have been developed and AOAC™–RI approved for rapid detection and identification of E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus from foods. The business that now constitutes BD Diagnostics – Diagnostic Systems was founded by entrepreneurs whose ideas, diligence and foresight have contributed to making BD one of the world’s leaders in the healthcare field. Through its products and services, BD is committed to “helping all people live healthy lives.” For more information, please visit www.bd.com/ds. AOAC is a trademark of AOAC International. CHROMagar is a trademark of Dr. A. Rambach. BD, BD Logo and all other trademarks are property of Becton, Dickinson and Company ©2009 BD. 362 FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS | JUNE 2009

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Food Protection Trends - June 2009

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