Airborne Pathogen Monitoring System Provides On-Site Alerts

Memphis, Tenn., based Evergreen UV has launched the PathogenAlert RAPID Reader System (Rapid Airborne Pathogen Identification and Detection) to U.S. food manufacturing organizations.

"The RAPID Reader System automatically detects harmful airborne pathogen contaminants before visual growth occurs, providing valuable time to engage in corrective action before an outbreak occurs," stated Susan Skelton, co-owner of Evergreen UV.

The RAPID Reader is an on-site microbial detection sensor that continually monitors facility air for the presence of airborne pathogens (bacteria, yeasts & molds), radically altering the present approach to pathogen detection and control. PathogenALERT will notify plant operators of airborne contamination within hours of occurrence, mitigating the high cost and high risk of releasing contaminated products into the marketplace and preventing the spread of the bacteria, yeast or mold to the rest of the facility…or into the public food chain, the company said.

PathogenALERT provides continuous on-site monitoring, significantly shortens contamination detection times to mere hours, and automates the pathogen sampling, monitoring and detection process. RAPID Reader sensors draw an air sample into a pathogen-specific, nutrient-rich detection site engineered to determine the presence of microbial contamination. Sensors connected to the cloud-based monitoring system send text and email alerts whenever and wherever contamination is detected, the company said, adding that a customized, cloud-based dashboard provides real-time reports that detail both current and historical risk levels using a similar format to traditional reporting techniques.

Current pathogen detection capabilities include Cronobacter Sakazaki, E-Coli, Listeria, Aspergillus, Staphylococcus Aureus, Legionella and Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.

Originally developed in Dublin, Ireland, by Dr. Stephen Daniels, as a critical tool for the detection of chronobacter contamination in the Irish powdered milk industry, reducing contamination risks and costs are a key benefit to users, Daniels said. "Implementing the RAPID Reader has been shown to have a significant impact on the effective management of airborne pathogens, resulting in lower overall costs for detection, infection risks and remedial actions."

The technology is available in North America through an exclusive agreement between NuWave Sensors of Dublin Ireland, and Evergreen UV, LLC of Memphis, Tenn. Evergreen UV is also the parent company for Lumalier Air and Surface Disinfection Products, and for Disinfection Services LLC.