Hartech Corporation

"A Healthcare and Food Safety Service Organization dedicated to the prevention of foodborne illness and the reduction in the incidence of malignant diseases (i.e., cancer)."

Products and Services

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

The Company believes speed; reliability, accuracy and relative low cost per laboratory test are included among the criteria required in a model HACCP pathogen detection plan. The ability to perform real-time, ultra-sensitive and reliable conductivity measurements represents a major advance in both medical and industrial microbiology. Quantitative and qualitative laboratory test can be conducted to prove the hygienic aspects of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) have been observed. The major advantage of the Bactobridge H₃ over existing technology is that there is no need for long incubation periods necessary to grow bacteria. As an incubation instrument with associated computers, users will be able to detect the presence or absence of specific microorganisms, i.e., an isolate of 1 CFU of E-coli within 2 hours after collection of sample.

INNOVATION

The most advance techniques currently utilize incubation and enrichment steps, hence require from twelve to twenty four hours. During this delay, damage caused by the organisms continues, particularly in industrial processes such as food production, where there may be no evidence of the presence of the microorganisms until products have been spoiled. As a result, considerable economic loss and inconvenience will occur if the product has already been distributed to retail outlets. To overcome the disadvantages and limitations of current laboratory technologies, by design, the Bactobridge H₃ uses a conductivity measuring system. Electrically matched pair of conductivity test tubes is placed in a measuring bridge and it's associated circuitry. The control conductivity test tube contains a inert medium and the reaction conductivity test tube contains the medium and the sample to be tested. The changes in the electrical impedance/conductance of the medium are then measured. Hence, by using a selective differential medium both quantitative and qualitative microbiological analysis can be achieved. Inoculations of 10² microorganisms per ml or more will cause an offset in the balanced impedance bridge circuit of the Bactobridge H₃ and produce an electrical current (conductivity) curve that follows the integral of the viable count curve. Likewise, inoculations of cancer cell suspensions into the conductivity measuring tubes causes an offset in the balance of the impedance bridge facilitating low frequency conductivity measurements (of the medium) to detect early cell metabolism and subsequent cell division. Click on to review - Real-time Pathogen and Human Tumor Sensitivity Detection Technology to Improve Food Safety.

The PC-based Bactobridge H₃ can be used in a Laboratory Information System (LIS) to collect both graphical and numerical data necessary to analyze a wide spectrum of foodborne and malignant diseases (i.e., cancer) in both the human and animal populations. The Bactobridge H₃ comprises module blocks, each containing up to 20 conductivity measuring tubes maintained at a controlled temperature and time, which can be pre-set by the user through a Windows 95/NT software application called BactoWatch. The Bactobridge H₃ and its associated system, includes a PC workstation that can electronically link up to 15 such modules with a total of 300 conductivity measuring tubes, which allows up to 270 dependent or 150 independent tests to be conducted, simultaneously.

Beta-testing and Regulatory Clearances

The Department of Medical and Research Technology (DMRT), University of Maryland School of Medicine has completed Phase #1 of product testing of the Company's Bactobridge H₃ in a beta-testing manner for microbiological data collection, analysis and it's application in the food industry. Comparison of competitive products and product evaluation to determine reliability and accuracy of the Bactobridge H₃ has also been completed by DMRT whose findings suggest clear advantages with minimal comparable products existing. They have consistently demonstrated the benefits of using the Bactobridge H₃ in a non-invasive; non-destructive method for determining quantitative analysis of suspected foodborne pathogens in specimens coming from commercial food processors.

On January 28, 1997, the Company received clearance from FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), for the use of the Bactobridge H₃ as a clinical laboratory instrument for performing automatic analysis of antibiotic and cancer chemotherapy assays and tumor sensitivity testing (Owner/Operator #9010416). The Bactobridge H₃ has also been cleared by the Veterinary Division of the USDA for non-invasive microbial testing of food products.

The Bactobridge H₃ can be used in the food industry:

1.

To rapidly identify infected herds or flocks using on-farm samples of milk, feces and blood,

2.

To detect pathogen in feed and water supplies,

3.

For rapid microbial detection and for tracking performance at Critical Control Points (CCP),

4.

For conducting slaughter and processing in-plant tests to determine microbiological profile,

5.

For pathological examination of diseases and conditions during post-mortem inspection,

6.

For conducting veterinary chemosensitivity, tumor sensitivity and antibiotic testing,

7.

To confirm the effectiveness of irradiation processing against the pathogen of concern for quarantine treatment,

8.

Provide an interactive tool to increase overall frequency of inspections and monitoring for microbial pathogen contamination.

9.

Create technical reports and monographs,

10.

For recommending clinical and veterinarian medicine practices,

11.

Help with implementing and maintaining technical feedback,

12.

Conduct epidemiological studies and surveys for the prevention of foodborne illnesses and the reduction of food-borne diseases and

13.

Serve as a tool to provide information that is crucial for effective pathogen control and a foundation for prevention programs.

The Bactobridge H₃ has numerous other applications, including:

1.

Human chemosensitivity and tumor sensitivity testing,

2.

Clinical antibiotic testing,

3.

Cosmetic and pharmaceutical screening,

4.

Dairy and beverage microbial testing and

5.

Waste water and sewage control

Real-time Pathogen and Human Tumor Sensitivity Detection Technology
to Improve Food Safety

Cancer Clinical Trials

Beta Testing/Clinical Trial Center

Executive Summary

Executive Staff & Consultants

Valuation of Bactobridge Technology

Investment Information