Collaboration to Detect Pathogens in Food

A collaboration to devise a new method for the detection of food-borne pathogens on site has been announced by Whatman, Inc. (Clifton, NJ, USA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA, Bethesda, MD, USA).

Previous bacteriologic methods for sample preparation and analysis to detect pathogens harmful for human consumption were time consuming and not as effective as desired. The FDA paired with Whatman to help modify and customize DNA-based detection methods using Whatman's FTA technology.

FTA is a chemical treatment that allows for the rapid isolation and protection of nucleic acids at room temperature. Whatman will supply reagents and filters to perform all the work necessary to improve the method of detecting food-borne pathogens. The company will also participate in a two-year validation study using a combination of size-exclusion filters. At the conclusion of the study, the finished product will serve as a universal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) template preparation protocol based on the FTA filter technology for the detection of bacteria, parasitic protozoa, and viral particles found in foods, soil, water, and clinical specimens.

"Whatman is committed to food safety and is proud to collaborate with the FDA to aid in refining a method with the ultimate goal of rapid analysis of food samples,” said Dr. Martin Smith, vice president of research and development at Whatman.




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