Victory, Invisible Sentinel to develop new on-site bacteria diagnostic

Veriflow brewPAL will enable the rapid on-site detection of two types of bacteria, Pediococcus and Lactobacillus, which can affect the taste of beer by producing lactic acid.

Invisible Sentinel Inc., a life-sciences company that develops and manufactures rapid molecular diagnostics for the food and beverage industries, will partner with Victory Brewing Co. to develop a diagnostic assay to detect beer-spoiling microbes.

The assay, to be called Veriflow brewPAL, will be developed with the use of Invisible Sentinel’s proprietary Veriflow technology, which is already the basis of tests marketed to detect microbes of concern during food and wine production and distribution.

Veriflow brewPAL will enable the rapid on-site detection of two types of bacteria, Pediococcus and Lactobacillus, which can affect the taste of beer by producing lactic acid. Current testing methods are laborious and time-consuming, with the consequence that corrective measures are delayed. The result for brewers can be spoilage, higher production costs and delayed product release.

“As we expand the applications of Veriflow technology, we are fortunate to work with partners who have earned a reputation for high-quality products,” said Nick Siciliano, CEO and co-founder of Invisible Sentinel. “Victory keeps to the highest standards in making its craft beers, and its deep experience in brewing will be essential to the success we anticipate in this joint-development initiative.”

The agreement between Invisible Sentinel and Victory anticipates that a successfully developed Veriflow assay to detect Pediococcus and Lactobacillus will be made available to the international market.

The partnership with Victory was established through Invisible Sentinel’s Custom Solution Program, a contract service that helps clients develop customized assays on the Veriflow platform.

“Brewing a great beer requires a dedication to quality assurance,” said Ron Barchet, CEO of Victory. “Invisible Sentinel brings to Victory the sort of innovation we’re always looking for to help us keep our edge.”

Invisible Sentinel has also developed the following suite of marketed assays for food pathogens: Veriflow LS for Listeria species, Veriflow SS for Salmonella species, Veriflow CA for Campylobacter, and Veriflow LM for Listeria monocytogenes. Veriflow assays for Escherichia coli (E. coli) 0157:H7 and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) are pending approval by the Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC).