ARS | Publication request: Rapid detection of E. coli on goat meat by electronic nose

Submitted to: Advances in Natural Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: July 28, 2010
Publication Date: October 22, 2010
Citation: Ding, N., Lan, Y., Zheng, X. 2010. Rapid detection of E. coli on goat meat by electronic nose. Advances in Natural Science. 3:185-191.

Interpretive Summary: Goat meat is one of the most popular meat products in the world. However, consumers are concerned about food safety in consuming goat meat due to little information for bacteria detection during meat processing. New, efficient methods for detection of food-borne pathogens are needed. This study was conducted to apply the electronic nose technology (computerized sensors that mimic the human sense of smell by detecting airborne chemical compounds) to detect bacteria on goat meat. Electronic nose technology has potential for use as a tool to rapidly detect contamination, although it is not able to detect very low concentrations of the contaminant. This study provides a foundation for further development of a rapid and practical instrument for detecting bacteria on meat surfaces.

Technical Abstract: Much attention has been paid on the foodborne illness of food, which is easily contaminated with bacterial or pathogens. Escherichia coli (E. coli) is one of these bacterial that commonly live in the contaminated animal meat. There is a growing need in the food industry for pathogen detection systems that are sensitive to low levels of bacteria, specific to the target organisms, capable of yielding results at or near real time. Both contaminated and non-contaminated goat meat were tested using an electronic nose (Cyranose-320) which consists of 32 polymer sensors. We developed an electronic nose method for the rapid detection of E. coli 0157:H7 in goat meat. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method was applied to analyze the experimental data, and the results indicated that they either overlap or are very close, making it very difficult for the device to correctly identify. E-nose has a potential for being used as a tool for rapid detection of contamination, although it is not able to detect very low concentration of the contaminant.