A research team led by Michigan State University (MSU), in partnership with Tuskegee University, has received a $769,000 grant to develop a rapid biosensor test for foodborne pathogens. The grant is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA’s NIFA), and the project will be supported by NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
Once developed, the rapid biosensor test is intended for onsite use at poultry farms and processing facilities to inspect large samples for Salmonella and Campylobacter. USDA’s Economic Research Service reports that the U.S. economic burden of Salmonella and Campylobacter exceeded $6 billion in 2018. Additionally, according to the project’s researchers, poultry products are one of the most common sources of foodborne pathogen infections.