Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #153044
Title: RAPID DETECTION OF OUTBREAK ESCHERICHIA COLI 0157 AND SALMONELLA IN ALFALFA SPROUTS BY IMMUNOMAGNETIC CAPTURE AND TIME-RESOLVED FLOURESCENCE

Author
item Tu, Shu I
item Fett, William
item Gehring, Andrew
item Irwin, Peter

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/28/2003
Publication Date: 10/28/2003
Citation: TU, S., FETT, W.F., GEHRING, A.G., IRWIN, P.L. RAPID DETECTION OF OUTBREAK ESCHERICHIA COLI 0157 AND SALMONELLA IN ALFALFA SPROUTS BY IMMUNOMAGNETIC CAPTURE AND TIME-RESOLVED FLOURESCENCE. MEETING ABSTRACT. 2003.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Commercially available alfalfa seeds were inoculated with low levels (- 4 CFU/g) of pathogenic bacteria. The inoculated seeds were then allowed to sprout in sterile tap water at 22 degrees C. After 48 hours, the irrigation water and sprouts were separately transferred to bovine hear infusion (BHI) media. The microbes in the BHI samples were allowed to grow for 4 hours at 37 degrees C and 160 rpm. Specific immunomagnetic beads (IMB) were then applied to capture the E. coli 0157 and/or Salmonella in the growth media. Separation and concentration of IMB-captured pathogens were achieved using magnetic separators. The captured E. coli 0157:H7 and Salmonella spp were further tagged with europium (Eu) labeled anti-E. coli 0157 antibodies and samarium (Sm) labeled anti-Salmonella antibodies, respectively. After washing, the lanthanide labels were extracted out from the complexes by specific chelators to form strongly fluorescent chelates. The specific time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) associated with Eu or Sm was measured to estimate the extent of capture of the E. coli 0157 and Salmonella, respectively. The results indicated that the approach could detect E. coli 0157 and Salmonella enterica from the seeds inoculated with - 4 CFU/g of the pathogens. Non-targeted bacteria, e.g., Aeromonas and Citrobacter exhibited essentially no cross reactivity. Since the pathogen detection from the sprouts was achieved within 6 hours, the developed methodology could be used as a raid sensitive and specific screening process for E. coli 0157 and Salmonella enterica in this popular salad food.