Thermo Fisher has released a new multiplex PCR test that can significantly streamline Salmonella monitoring processes. The Thermo Scientific SureCount Salmonella Species, Typhimurium and Enteritidis Multiplex PCR Kit method can help to drive productivity up, and costs down, without compromising safety.

The new Multiplex PCR method, which is currently undergoing AOAC Performance Tested Methods (PTM) validation for poultry, beef, and pork matrices, and will be the first certified method that enables simultaneous quantitation and differentiation of Salmonella species, S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis in a single PCR test. According to the AOAC-PTM validation study, the method can quantify 1 CFU per tested poultry rinses, raw meat, and poultry samples (chicken carcass rinses, ground beef, ground pork and ground turkey) and can effectively replace laborious, time- and resource-hungry enumeration methods such as the most probable number (MPN) technique.

Compared to MPN, which can take up to three days to yield a result, the SureCount Salmonella Multiplex PCR Kit method provides actionable results in around eight hours – or a single working shift.

Salmonella threat

Salmonella is a public health threat and food producers have no choice but to take seriously. The United States’ Center for Disease Control estimates the bacteria causes around 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths every year. S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis, two of the serotypes commonly linked to outbreaks in humans, are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, making them even more dangerous.

Raw poultry, beef, and pork are major sources of exposure, and industries are under increasing pressure from regulators and consumers alike to reduce Salmonella in their products.

The sector takes this responsibility seriously and employs robust microbiological interventions all the way along the production chain. However, these typically rely on methods such as MPN. The lengthy time-to-results limits the method’s ability to guide real-time decision making and makes it unsuitable for high-volume sample analysis. In short, Salmonella monitoring processes may be vital, but they also eat into precious shelf-life time and impact the bottom line.

A new approach

The SureCount Salmonella Multiplex PCR Kit is different. It simultaneously quantifies and differentiates Salmonella spp. S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis in a single PCR run on the Applied Biosystems QuantStudio 5 Real-Time Food Safety PCR System with results automatically interpreted into the number of colony forming units (CFU), using the Thermo Scientific RapidFinder Analysis Software v2.0 or later.

“Salmonella represents a huge threat to both public and business health, but in the time- and cost-sensitive world of beef, poultry, and pork production, monitoring programs can delay throughput and reduce return on investment. The answer is working smarter, not harder,” said Daniele Sohier, global scientific affairs manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

“The SureCount Salmonella Multiplex PCR Kit method can effectively replace MPN technique for enumerating Salmonella providing rapid results with a simple workflow for improved laboratory efficiency and the reduced probability of human error. By providing quantitative data in real-time, it gives producers a greater insight into the effectiveness of their control programs and guides risk-based decision making in areas of process control monitoring including order processing, intervention application, product release, and acceptance.”