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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #62981
Title: DETECTION OF MEAT SPOILAGE BACTERIA BY A DNA-BASED POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

Author
item VENKITANARAYANAN, KUMAR - UNIV OF CONN
item KHAN, MUHAMMAD - UNIV OF CONN
item FAUSTMAN, CAMERON - UNIV OF CONN
item Berry, Bradford

Submitted to: Journal of Food Protection
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/21/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Two major groups of bacteria, pathogenic and spoilage, are responsible for significant food safety concern and monetary loss in the meat industry. Rapid and accurate testing procedures are needed for identifying these two groups of microorganisms before meat products are purchased by consumers. Previously, DNA probes have been successfully used in rapidly detecting food-borne pathogens. However, little research has been performed to determine the usefulness of this approach for spoilage bacteria. Based on 23S DNA of Pseudomas aeruginosa, two primers were synthesized for a Polymerase Chain Reaction. Using nine different meat spoilage bacteria, a unique 207 basepair DNA product was identified. Using a DNA probe specific for this product, it was confirmed that the DNA sequence was unique for the spoilage bacteria studied. These results provide strong indication that a unique and rapid system can be developed for determining spoilage bacterial lnumbers.

Technical Abstract: The growth of spoilage bacteria results in shorter shelf-life of meat, causing economic losses to the meat industry. Based on 23S rDNA sequence data of Pseudomonas aeruginousa, two primers designated as PF (23 bases) and PR (20 bases) were synthesized for use in the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). A unique 207 basepair DNA product from nine different bacteria typically associated with meat spoilage was amplified by the primers. Dot blot analysis with the internal probe specific for the amplified products confirmed that the amplified DNA sequence is specific for the spoilage bacteria studied.