Items Tagged with 'PCR'

In-house quality control teams and third-party laboratories can use the GENE-UP PROBIOTIC SPECIES ID assay to identify 18 commonly used probiotic species in 90 minutes or less.

According to the company, the GENE-UP TYPER SLM assay specifically targets S. enterica, the subspecies most commonly associated with human salmonellosis and foodborne illness.

This article discusses the problem of false positive results when using propidium monoazide (PMA) in PCR testing for food safety. 

Using metagenomic sequencing and qPCR, the study analyzed bacteria from produce, chicken meat, and RTE deli meats sold at retail stores in Tennessee. A high abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes were identified, potentially contributing to the persistence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the food supply.

Two research projects are investigating several novel techniques for detecting hepatitis A virus that eliminate false positives produced by inactivated, non-infectious RNA fragments—an issue that limits the usefulness of existing methods for indicating actual food safety risk.

New research has demonstrated a low overall prevalence of Campylobacter on retail chicken meat; however, recovered C. jejuni strains did not match known poultry-associated genotypes, suggesting the need for sensitive detection methods and expanded genomic surveillance.

Bio-Rad Laboratories’ new EZ-Check Salmonella Kit is a rapid, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection method for Salmonella in food and environmental matrices.

Efforts are underway to create a patchwork of new state-specific extended producer responsibility (EPR) and stewardship programs, recycling requirements, and minimum post-consumer recycled (PCR) content requirements that apply to packaging materials used for food and beverage products. Entities across the entire food and beverage supply chain may be implicated and need to be prepared for compliance. 

A Center for Produce Safety-funded proof-of-concept study is exploring a novel, high-throughput capture and concentration method for hepatitis A virus in fruit wash water, which uses magnets and hydrogel nanoparticles. It could be added to existing FDA and ISO digital PCR assay workflows, potentially reducing false positives.

The new GENE-UP® TYPER solution from bioMérieux combines a PCR pathogen detection assay with a machine learning-based web application, facilitating root cause analysis of contamination incidents in the food industry.