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Detection of Salmonella in Food Products

Author: Robert Brooks

Salmonella is an organism that is typically associated with food borne illness. Outbreaks of Salmonella poisoning are common, with over 1 million cases of infection reported yearly in the United States alone. Even though Salmonella is a very common bacterium, most infections are caused by a small group of subspecies or subtypes of this organism such as Typhimurium, Enteritidis, and, Saintpaul (Saint Paul).

Salmonella in food products is a major concern within the food industry and detection of this organism is a high priority. There have been several Salmonella concerns over the past few years including peanut butter, tomatoes, chocolate and currently a flavor enhancer. More information about the history of recalls can be found on the FDA website http://www.fda.gov/.

Products that are typically found to be contaminated by Salmonella are meats such as chicken or beef, milk, eggs and various fruits and vegetables such as bean sprouts and tomatoes. Detection of this organism can be accomplished by several methods with microbiological and molecular analyses being the most common and specific methods available. These types of analyses include media specific for the organism, biochemical analysis and PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction).

Microbac Laboratories offers a full range of these detection capabilities, including the DuPont BAX system, to quickly test for and identify Salmonella in various products to help ensure that those products going to market are safe for the consumer.

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For more information, contact:
Dr. Kim Baughman, Director of Development, Microbac Laboratories @ kbaughman@microbac.com.

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