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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Characterization and Interventions for Foodborne Pathogens » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #258816
Title: Rapid detection, characterization, and enrumeration of food-borne pathogens

Author
item GOODRIDGE, LAWRENCE - Colorado State University
item Fratamico, Pina
item CHRISTENSEN, LAURIDS - Technical University Of Denmark
item HOORFAR, JEFFREY - Technical University Of Denmark
item GRIFFITHS, MANSEL - Technical University Of Denmark
item CARTER, MARK - Silliker Laboratories
item BHUNIA, ARUN - Purdue University
item O'KENNEDY, RICHARD - University Of Dublin

Submitted to: Detection Technologies
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2010
Publication Date: 1/11/2011
Citation: Goodridge, L.D., Fratamico, P.M., Christensen, L.S., Hoorfar, J., Griffiths, M., Carter, M., Bhunia, A.K., O'Kennedy, R. 2011. Rapid detection, characterization, and enrumeration of food-borne pathogens. In: Hoorfar, J., editor. Detection Technologies:strengths and shortcomings. Washington, D.C.: ASM Press. p. 15-45.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In recent years, there has been much research activity on the development of methodologies that are rapid, accurate, and ultrasensitive for detecting pathogenic microorganisms in food. Rapid methods include immunological systems such as the lateral flow assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, nucleic acid-based assays such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA hybridization techniques, and various types of biosensor-based assays. Many test kits based on these rapid techniques are commercially available for detection and quantification of specific pathogens. Although some advantages of rapid methods are savings in time and effort, they must often be compared to conventional culture-based methods in performance, and culture methods are still needed to obtain a bacterial isolate for confirmation and further analysis. In addition, food and other complex matrices may contain components that interfere with the performance of rapid methods, particularly assays based on the PCR. However, much progress has been made in improving techniques for sample processing to avoid the presence of interfering substances and in decreasing the time to obtain results to less than 24 h. Nanotechnology, as it applies to food testing, is driving the development of systems such as lab on a chip assays that potentially have the capability for near real-time and on-line monitoring for multiple pathogens simultaneously in food and environmental samples. These developments in pathogen detection methods are critical for ensuring the safety of the food supply.