Researchers from
Cornell University, the Mars Global Food Safety Center in Beijing, and the
University of Georgia have developed a method for completing whole-genome
sequencing to determine salmonella serotypes in just two hours and the whole
identification process within eight hours.
Determining
salmonella's serotype makes it easier for food safety sleuths to find the
source of bacterial contamination, which can occur in a wide range of foods,
such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat, cereal, infant formula and pet food.
Conventional serotyping has been at the core of public health monitoring of salmonella
infections for a half-century, Tang said. But long turnaround times, high costs
and complex sample preparations have led global food safety regulators, food
authorities and public health agencies to change to whole-genome sequencing
methods for pathogen subtyping.
All 38 salmonella
strains -- representing 34 serotypes -- assessed in this study were accurately
predicted to the serotype level using whole-genome sequencing.
This is important news
for the food industry, as very few laboratories can conduct classical
serotyping, said Martin Wiedmann, food safety professor and a Cornell Institute
for Food Systems faculty fellow.
"In some
countries," Wiedmann said, "it can take up to two days to even get
the suspected salmonella to a certified lab."
With whole genome
sequencing, he said, the new state-of-the-art test relies on simple equipment.
"For the food industry, processing plants are in the middle of
nowhere," he said. "Now you can conduct testing in a lab that's close
to the food processing plant."
See:
Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle, Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)
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