[Edaily Reporter YU JIN-HEE ] SANIGEN Co., Ltd.(188260), a company specializing in microbial diagnostics, has been selected as the lead agency for a government-funded defense project, accelerating its push into the military food hygiene and safety inspection market.

SANIGEN Co., Ltd. announced on the 21st that it had been officially selected as the lead organization for the “26-1st Defense Venture Local Government Development Fund Support Project,” organized by the Jeonbuk Defense Venture Center.

The selected project is titled “Establishment of a Rapid Multi-Pathogen Diagnostic System for the Prevention of Food Poisoning in Military Group Catering.” The core objective is to develop a system capable of simultaneously diagnosing the three major pathogenic microorganisms—Salmonella, norovirus, and enterohemorrhagic E. coli—which have been identified as the primary causes of mass food poisoning in domestic group catering facilities over the past five years, all in a single test.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Salmonella (approximately 31%), norovirus (approximately 17.9%), and pathogenic E. coli (approximately 14.5%) account for the overwhelming majority of food poisoning cases in Korea. In particular, since more than half of all cases of norovirus and enterohemorrhagic E. coli originate in institutional food service facilities, there has been a persistent demand for simultaneous diagnostic technology that can be immediately applied to military food service settings.

Until now, existing molecular diagnostic products have had separate kits for bacteria and viruses, making cross-testing cumbersome. Since these products were primarily designed for clinical diagnostics in large hospitals, their adoption in food service settings was limited. Furthermore, the technical challenge of stably reverse-transcribing and amplifying DNA (bacteria) and RNA (viruses)—which have different biological characteristics—within a single reagent without interference also posed a significant obstacle.

SANIGEN Co., Ltd. has overcome these limitations by utilizing its proprietary multiplex real-time PCR technology. The company plans to develop a technology capable of simultaneously detecting, with high sensitivity, norovirus—the leading cause of food poisoning—as well as representative bacteria such as Salmonella and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) within a single tube.

In particular, by applying “FAST Cycle” analysis technology, the company has significantly reduced the total diagnostic time to within four hours. Through this, the company aims to establish a system that enables on-site, one-stop identification of food poisoning pathogens and early containment before meals are served in military dining halls.

SANIGEN Co., Ltd. official stated, “Unlike clinical diagnostic products for hospitals, this project is a diagnostic model specialized for the three major pathogens and optimized for safety management in mass catering settings,” adding, “Through this innovative system that simultaneously detects major bacteria and viruses with a single test, we will provide a safer dining environment for military personnel.”

The representative added, “In the future, we plan to expand the application of this rapid, simultaneous diagnostic solution for the three major pathogens to collective dining facilities—including schools, government offices, and corporations—as well as large-scale food manufacturing sites, thereby raising the hygiene and safety standards of collective dining to a new level.”

Meanwhile, SANIGEN Co., Ltd. was the first in the world to receive New Technology in Agriculture, Forestry, and Food (NET) certification for its next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel-based technology for the simultaneous multiplex detection of foodborne pathogens. The company has also been recognized for its technical expertise in the field of molecular microbiology, holding products certified by the American Association of Official Chemists (AOAC) and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).