bioMérieux Honored with 2011 IAFP Black Pearl Award for Excellence in Food Safety

bioMérieux, a world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics, today announced that it is honored to receive the 2011 Black Pearl Award given by the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP). With its most distinguished annual award, IAFP recognizes bioMérieux for superior excellence and commitment to food safety and food quality.

The Black Pearl Award is given annually to one company according to the following criteria: contributions to public health and food safety; activities related to food safety education; support of IAFP goals and objectives; commitment to ethical and fair business practices; promotion of food safety through community, consumer, and employee channels; development of products and services related to food safety, and adherence to regulatory requirements.
For more information on the Black Pearl Award, visit  www.bomerieux-industry.com/bpa

David Tharp, Executive Director of IAFP, commented, “The Selection Committee was very impressed with bioMérieux’s commitment to excellence in food safety, and believed that the company was truly a worthy recipient of this prestigious award.”

“I am pleased to support the 2011 nomination of bioMérieux for the prestigious Black Pearl Award,” stated Dr. Gary Acuff, Director of the Center for Food Safety at Texas A&M University. “Having worked in the field of food microbiology for 30 years now, I have seen my share of new technology introduced, but I believe bioMérieux may have injected more innovation and forward thought into diagnostic examination of food than any other single entity. Their dedication to quality, speed and ease of use in diagnostic microbiology to support food safety needs in the food industry has made the bioMérieux name synonymous with rapid testing and automation.”

“It is a great honor for bioMérieux to have our contribution to food safety and support of the food industry recognized by the Black Pearl Award,” said Jean-Marc Durano, bioMérieux Corporate Vice President, Industrial Microbiology. “For 20 years, we have been working closely with our customers to develop novel solutions to ensure the safety and quality of food products. This important award validates our approach and reinforces our commitment.”

About IAFP

The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) represents a broad range of members with a singular focus — protecting the global food supply. Within the association, you will find educators, government officials, microbiologists, food industry executives and quality control professionals who are involved in all aspects of growing, storing, transporting, processing and preparing all types of foods.
Working together, IAFP members, representing more than 50 countries, help the association achieve its mission through networking, educational programs, journals, career opportunities and numerous other resources.

About bioMérieux Food Safety

bioMérieux has been a global leader in providing innovative solutions to address food safety testing issues for more than 20 years. bioMérieux's food safety focus encompasses prevention, detection and quality assurance. The company offers extensive global resources and local expertise in microbiology and food safety, driven by cutting-edge research and science to bring powerful new tools to the food industry. bioMérieux's food testing solutions, including prepared culture media, VIDAS®, TEMPO®, BacT/ALERT®, VITEK® 2, API® and DiversiLab®, reflect its commitment to improving public health through a safe and nutritious food supply accessible globally. To learn more about food safety and quality solutions from bioMérieux, visit www.biomerieux-industry.com.

About bioMérieux

Advancing Diagnostics to Improve Public Health

A world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics for over 45 years, bioMérieux is present in more than150 countries through 39 subsidiaries and a large network of distributors. In 2010, revenues reached €1.357 billion with 87% of sales outside of France.

bioMérieux provides diagnostic solutions (reagents, instruments, software) which determine the source of disease and contamination to improve patient health and ensure consumer safety. Its products are used for diagnosing infectious diseases and providing high medical value results for cancer screening and monitoring and cardiovascular emergencies. They are also used for detecting microorganisms in agri-food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.

bioMérieux is listed on the NYSE Euronext Paris market (Symbol: BIM – ISIN: FR0010096479).
Other information can be found at www.biomerieux.com.