Novel dioxin detection method for food gets the nod in Belgium 9/25/2000 Xenobiotic Detection Systems has been selected by the Belgium government to help protect the country's residents and food supply from chemical contamination.

Belgium has licensed Xenobiotic's CALUX technology for the detection of Dioxin-like chemicals, which are the by-products of the making and burning of products containing chlorine in processed animal feed, food and tissue samples. Xenobiotic President Dr. George C. Clark and Dr. G. Thiers, Director of the Scientific Institute of Public Health of Belgium, recently signed a five- year licensing agreement after XDS won a Belgium-sponsored competition that included technology entries from six other companies.

"The awarding of the agreement by the Belgium government solidifies our technology as a firewall for the food chain," said Clark. "XDS can now help to protect the Belgium food supply from contamination."

Dr. Clark and Michael Chu, XDS' Laboratory Director, recently installed the CALUX technology at the Institute's laboratory headed by Dr. Leo Goeyens and Dr. Ilse VanOvermeire. The laboratory is now analyzing samples for levels of dioxin-like chemicals, which are routinely found in the environment and are known to cause birth defects, immunotoxicity, tumors, changes in metabolism, and even death.

The technology detects the presence of dioxins, PCBs and dibenzofurans, which are man-made compounds called polychlorinated diaromatic hydrocarbons (PCDHs). XDS has genetically engineered mammalian cell lines to produce luciferase, an enzyme found in fireflies. The cells glow like a firefly in the presence of the chemicals. In the U.S., XDS is pursuing validation of its dioxin assay with the FDA, the Department of Agriculture, the EPA, and the Centers for Disease Control.

XDS recently struck its first licensing agreement with Hiyoshi Corp. of Japan. Clark said licensing deals like the one with Hiyoshi and Belgium have become the company's main goal.

Edited by Drew Bowden, Assistant Editor, Laboratory Network.com