NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    Company Contact:
                                                         Stanley J. Musial
                                                         Chief Financial Officer
                                                         (302) 456-6789
                                                         www.sdix.com

  Strategic Diagnostics Announces that Microtox has been Proposed by US EPA for
                      Whole Effluent Toxicity Applications

NEWARK, Del., - April 7, 2004 - Strategic Diagnostics Inc. (Nasdaq: SDIX) - a
leading provider of rapid analytical, and bio-detection test systems for the
food safety and water quality markets, today announced that the US EPA has
published a proposal to add Microtox(R) Toxicity Test Technology to the approved
methods for Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing. The proposal was included in a
package of analytical methods updates under the title "Guidelines Establishing
Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants Under the Clean Water Act;
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations; and National Secondary Drinking
Water Regulations; Analysis and Sampling Procedures; Proposed Rule" and
published in the Federal Register on April 6, 2004. Microtox(R) technology is
discussed on pages 18171 through 18173 under the subheading "Whole Effluent
Toxicity Alternate Test Procedure - Microtox(R)."

Microtox(R) technology is a biosensor-based measurement system for toxicity and
provides a rapid, inexpensive and effective way to detect toxicity caused by a
wide range of organic or inorganic contaminants. Microtox(R) technology is often
favored over traditional test methods that use fish, water fleas and other
organisms as test species, because the test is much easier to conduct, offers
rapid results, is significantly less expensive and can be run in its entirety by
the operators or analysts at the treatment plant, eliminating the need to send
samples out to commercial laboratories.

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits are issued under
the authority of the Clean Water Act to prevent the discharge of "toxic
pollutants in toxic amounts" to the waterways of the United States. Whole
Effluent Toxicity (WET) Tests are conducted using specific methodology and
specific test organisms to measure the impact of industrial and municipal
effluents on the resident species in the receiving waters into which the
effluent is discharged. The EPA states that there are over 200,000 NPDES permit
holders in the United States and any of these wastewater dischargers may be
required to use WET testing during a Toxicity Identification Evaluation or
Toxicity Reduction Evaluation. Approximately 6,500 municipal and industrial
wastewater dischargers are required by law to conduct and report the data from
toxicity testing at intervals ranging from daily to quarterly.

Commenting on the publication of the recommendation, Matthew Knight, President
and CEO of Strategic Diagnostics said, "Microtox(R) technology is one of the
most widely evaluated platforms for toxicity screening in the world. It is
already used as a standard WET method in Spain, Italy and other western
countries. We believe that Microtox(R) represents a significant enhancement to
existing methods for WET testing. Using Microtox(R) for WET testing compliance
will enhance a municipal or industrial wastewater treatment plant's ability to
respond much more quickly to identify potential toxins either entering or
exiting their systems. We believe that this can dramatically reduce operating
expense for our customers and improve conformance to discharge standards. The
Microtox(R) test assay is much faster and less expensive than assays using other
bio-systems. We are looking forward to supporting and working closely with the
EPA during this significant rulemaking process."




About Strategic Diagnostics Inc.

SDI is a leading provider of biotechnology-based diagnostic tests for a broad
range of agricultural, industrial, and water treatment applications. Through its
antibody business, Strategic BioSolutions, Strategic Diagnostics also provides
antibody and immunoreagent research and development services. SDI's test kits
are produced in a variety of formats suitable for field and laboratory use,
offering advantages of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, portability, and rapid
response.

This news release contains forward-looking statements reflecting SDI's current
expectation. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate", "enable",
"estimate", "intend", "expect", "believe", "potential", "will", "should",
"project" and similar expressions as they relate to SDI are intended to identify
said forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause
actual results to differ from those anticipated by SDI at this time. Such risks
and uncertainties include, without limitation, changes in demand for products,
delays in product development, delays in market acceptance of new products,
inability to obtain required government approvals, modifications of government
regulations, modifications to development and sales relationships, construction
delays or cost overruns in the Maine expansion project, delays or unanticipated
costs relating to the consolidation of the California facility, the ability to
meet increased market demand, the ability to achieve anticipated growth,
increasing dependence on the sale of certain products, competition, seasonality,
and other factors more fully described in SDI's public filings with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission.