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Title: Ten hour real-time PCR technique for detection of Salmonella in meats

Author
item Patel, Jitu
item Bhagwat, Arvind

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/21/2006
Publication Date: 10/14/2006
Citation: Patel, J.R., Bhagwat, A.A. 2006. Ten hour real-time PCR technique for detection of Salmonella in meats [abstract]. Twenty-sixth University of Wisconsin-River Falls Food Microbiology Symposium and Workshop. p. 26-5.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We evaluated the efficacy of real-time PCR assays to detect low levels of Salmonella in meats following 8 h of pre-enrichment. The sensitivity and accuracy of molecular beacon and TaqMan probe PCR assays were compared with the conventional USDA microbiological procedure using artificially contaminated meats. Fluorescent probes targeting invasion-related genes specifically detected invA gene (TaqMan probe) and iagA gene (molecular beacon probe) from Salmonella spp. Meats (pork, chicken, turkey, ham, and bologna) were artificially contaminated with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium at the estimated level of 2 to 4 cells per 25 g. All inoculated RTE meat samples (n=41) were detected by molecular beacon PCR assay after 8 h of enrichment. However, only 27 of 41 samples were detected by TaqMan assay following 8 h enrichment. Likewise, all inoculated chicken samples (n=12) and 13 of 14 inoculated pork samples were detected by molecular beacon PCR assay after 8 h enrichment. The molecular beacon PCR assay can detect as low as 2 to 4 cfu of Salmonella in 25 g meats within 10 hours. Developing rapid pathogen detection methods with shorter pre-enrichment times and real-time data monitoring capabilities will help the meat industry in preventing recall of contaminated meats by stopping the contaminated products from being introduced into the marketplace.