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Lab techniques

 

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FISHing for pathogens: Rapid detection of whole microbial cells in foods

30 June 2010 | By Byron Brehm-Stecher, Assistant Professor, Rapid Microbial Detection and Control Laboratory, Iowa State University

Today’s food production and distribution networks are extremely efficient. We are able to move food from the field to the table rapidly and effectively – on a global scale – under conditions that maximise quality, visual appeal and nutritional content. Unfortunately, toxigenic or infectious microbes may also come along for…

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Microbiological safety of chocolate confectionery products

12 December 2009 | By Anett Winkler, Corporate Microbiology, Kraft Foods R&D

For many years, low moisture foods, such as chocolate, were regarded as microbiologically safe due to the inherent product characteristics. Water activity levels below 0.6 would prevent any microbial growth, whereas water activities below 0.85 would prevent proliferation of pathogenic / toxin formation by toxigenic microorganisms[1]. A water activity of…

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Ingredients: Microencapsulation of food ingredients: still a field to be explored?

10 September 2009 | By Adem Gharsallaoui, Temporary Associate Professor, AgroSup Dijon (France)

The food industry uses more and more purified natural and synthetic fragile substances today, and consequently, there is an increased need to protect these ingredients. Functional food ingredients, such as flavours, vitamins or antioxidants, are sensitive to environmental stress during manufacturing, storage and consumption of the food product. Furthermore, loss…

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Strategic considerations in choosing a rapid method

28 February 2008 | By Dr. John D. Marugg, Nestlé Research Centre, Quality and Safety Department, Microbiological Safety Group, Switzerland

Food manufacturers face challenges in optimising speed and efficiency, reducing product inventory, simultaneously responding to microbiological and chemical contaminants and entering the production process, via ingredients or the environment. Currently, most official or reference methods for pathogen or contaminant detection are laborious, costly, and often take a long time (3-7…

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Use of predictive microbiology in the food industry

16 November 2007 | By Jeanne-Marie Membré, Unilever

The goal of predictive microbiology is to provide useful predictions about the microbial behaviour in food systems. Predictive microbiology combines “the disciplines of food microbiology, engineering and statistics” (Schaffner and Labuza, 1997).

milk in a bootle
milk in a bootle
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Pulsed Electric Field processing of foods

4 September 2007 | By Stefan Toepfl and Volker Heinz, German Institute of Food Technology (DIL)

Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) applications can be utilised to achieve disintegration of biological tissues or microbes. Various applications have been identified such as improvement of mass transfer during extraction or drying as well as gentle food preservation. The first commercial applications of the technique have been achieved. By development of…

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Luminescent techniques for microbiological analysis of foods

7 March 2007 | By Dr. Mansel Griffiths, Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety, Canada

There are many naturally bioluminescent organisms existing in nature and the mechanisms whereby some of these creatures emit light have been fully characterised1. These include the luciferin-luciferase system of bacteria, insects (fireflies and click-beetles) and the jellyfish Aequorea victoria. In essence, bioluminescence involves the conversion of chemical energy into light…

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A prime example

6 November 2006 | By Graeme Jardine, Microbiology Laboratory Manager, RHM Group Ltd

Technological advances in the field of food microbiology are a common occurrence. A great deal of research and validation is put into improving established methodologies and utilising new rapid approaches to isolation and detection. However, established ‘conventional testing’ is still the main stay of most food microbiology laboratories with the…

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Listeria monocytogenes – a recent history

11 August 2006 | By P A Voysey, Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association

Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic bacterium and one of six species belonging to the genus Listeria. This species is the only one believed to be pathogenic to man; however, not all L. monocytogenes serotypes have been linked with illness. The bacterium is very common in the environment. It has been…

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Detecting Salmonella antibodies in pork

21 November 2005 | By René Achterberg, Judith Maneschijn-Bonsing, Rinus Bloemraad, Manon Swanenburg and Kitty Maassen, Animal Sciences Group, Lelystad, The Netherlands

Programs for monitoring Salmonella in the pork production chain have begun in several European countries. For an assay to be used in a monitoring program, it is a prerequisite that the total testing time per sample is short and that regeneration is optimal. In collaboration with a major pork producer…

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The benefits of automated pathogen testing

3 May 2005 | By Eric Maucci, Food Hygiene Technical Manager, Laboratoire Inter-Départemental des Analyses Laitières (LIDAL)

Renowned for its ‘postcard’ lake-side setting surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the beautiful French town of Annecy is perhaps less well known as the home of famous regional raw cows’ milk cheeses, such as Reblochon and Tomme. Controlling the quality of these cheeses and the raw milk used to produce them,…