LI tech helping Germans screen for E. coli

A pathogen-detection system made by Pall Corp. of Port Washington is helping German health laboratories screen for a deadly strain of E. coli that has sickened nearly 3,000 people and disrupted Europe's food industry, Pall said Monday.

Germany's national reference laboratory is using Pall's GeneDisc System to expedite genetic testing of food samples for the toxic strain known as E. coli O104:H4, or STEC.

Pall's announcement quoted Lothar Beutin of Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment as saying, "The GeneDisc system has proven highly effective."

Pall, which is a filtration specialist, makes equipment for medical devices, breweries, dairies, blood processing systems, water purification plants and other uses.