News
11.09.2020 - Microbiology
Listeria monocytogenes in 6h: fastest results for root cause analysis are top priority in crisis situations
Foodborne infections and recalls caused by Listeria monocytogenes have had high relevance in recent years. Since these bacteria are widespread in our environment and many perishable foods promote the multiplication of these germs even at refrigeration temperatures, it can also be assumed in the future that controlling this hazard will be of central importance for many food businesses. It is all the more important to be able to rely on rapid detection and root cause analysis procedures for contamination by Listeria monocytogenes in addition to various preventive measures.
In the past two years, the BAV INSTITUT has intensively focused on new, innovative possibilities for listeria analysis. In addition to the cultivation methods (ISO 11290-1 and ISO 11290-2) and the accredited 48h and 24h rapid methods, work was conducted on an even faster detection method.
With the newly developed rapid method "TentaSpeed L. mono," low levels of Listeria spp. and/or L. monocytogenes in foods can be detected within just 6 hours. The procedure has been successfully tested for various food groups, such as meat and meat products, fish and fish products, dairy products and cheese, salads, delicatessen, and convenience products. The detection limit of the procedure is < 20 CFU/g.
The detection of the bacteria in the new 6-hour rapid method "TentaSpeed L. mono," as with the 24-hour method, is based on RT-PCR. However, several steps are performed to concentrate the bacteria before detection in this rapid method.
An additional innovation at the BAV INSTITUT offers the opportunity to compare different strains of Listeria spp. or Listeria monocytogenes with each other. This allows conclusions to be drawn about their causes in case of contaminations or positive findings. Contamination sources can be located and eliminated more quickly since, for example, strains from end products can be compared with strains from raw materials or environmental studies. This comparison of strains is carried out using the MALDI-TOF method. These results are also available on the same day after the isolation of the strains, allowing quick conclusions about potential contamination causes and the appropriate preventive measures to be initiated.
This possibility to compare strains of isolated microorganisms is also feasible for other germs such as Salmonella, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus... using the methods introduced at the BAV INSTITUT.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Contact:
Paul Andrei
Tel.: +49 781 96 94 715
E-Mail: paul.andrei@bav-institut.de