Spectrometry Illuminates New Method For Food Safety Testing
By Isaac Fletcher, contributing writer, Food Online
A recent innovation could be a great boon to the food industry by significantly improving the effectiveness and efficiency of bacteria detection in food products
Researchers at Swinburne University of Technology, in collaboration with bioMerieux Australia, have engineered a new method for detecting Listeria contamination in food. Foodborne diseases are a serious issue, causing illness and death across the globe, so the development of a reliable and rapid method for detecting deadly bacteria in food samples is of paramount importance for the food industry.
Listeria, which can cause serious, and in some cases, fatal infections, primarily affects pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems. Outbreaks of the bacteria have been known to occur in a wide range of food products, including milk, soft cheeses, smoked fish, processed meat, and even fresh produce.
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Lead researcher on the project, Professor Enzo Palombo, says, “Current standard methods to detect Listeria in food rely on biochemical testing that takes four to five days to confirm a positive result.” For such a potentially dangerous bacteria, that amount of time is far too great, leaving ample room for improvement and innovation. Additionally, the detection of various foodborne pathogens can be particularly difficult due to likely presence of numerous bacteria in one sample.
The researchers developed a technique that provides more rapid, simplified detection when compared to conventional methods. The method employs the use of mass spectrometry technology, MALDI-TOF MS, to detect Listeria monocytogenes. An experiment was done using ultra high temperature (UHT) milk as a control food and using the spectrometry technology to detect the bacteria in three other foods: chicken pate, cantaloupe, and camembert cheese. The results of this experiment demonstrate that this method can identify Listeria — even in very low levels — in different food samples.
Even though the initial investment for this type of detection method is high, the running costs are fairly minimal. Palombo posits that, “The use of MALDI-TOF MS for bacterial identification from selective enrichment broth could reduce the overall cost involved in food testing, as the same strategy could be used for other foodborne bacteria.” With the potential benefits and long-term cost-savings, food processors would likely find an improved method for bacteria detection to be a wise investment.