A recent joint publication between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Rheonix Inc. has confirmed the efficacy of an assay to detect Cyclospora cayetanensis, developed under a Research Collaboration Agreement (RCA) between Rheonix and FDA’s Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment (OARSA). The study, published in the journal Microorganisms, demonstrated that the fully automated Rheonix C. cayetanensis™ assay achieves consistent detection rates for C. cayetanensis in samples of high-risk fresh produce with low levels of oocysts, including matrices such as herbs, leafy greens, and berries.
C. cayetanensis is a parasite of increasing concern to food safety in the U.S., with foodborne outbreak investigations in 2018 revealing the risk of C. cayetanensis contamination of domestically grown produce, and more than 10,000 domestically acquired cases of cyclosporiasis being confirmed since 2018. The streamlined assay has the potential to be an effective tool for outbreak and surveillance for C. cayetanensis in produce.