Rapid test to detect salmonella in meat and poultry.

A study published in the journal of food safety,shows a rapid test to detect salmonella in meat and poultry. Salmonella is the leading cause of food borne illnesses so an early detection of the pathogen, by a rapid and sensitive test is important to prevent the illness and economic losses. Scientists led by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers has found a faster and more precise way to detect salmonella in beef and chicken. In the study, researchers artificially contaminated food with salmonella, and then tested the food samples using Salmonella-specific antibodies combined with a unique signal amplification technique. The test found salmonella present after 15 hours and removed other microorganisms that sometimes clutter laboratory results. This is shorter than the two to three days it takes to detect salmonella in a culture.This test is an effective simple monitoring system for food borne pathogens in food samples, which can improve food safety .