Evaluation of the MicroScan enzyme-based system for the identification of foodborne yeasts.
Eighty-nine strains representing 36 species of foodborne yeasts isolated from fruit juice concentrates were identified using the Baxter MicroScan enzyme-based kit, conventional tests according to a simplified identification method (SIM), and the API 20C kit. Of the 15 test species included in the MicroScan database, only 40% were correctly identified; 13% gave scores of unacceptably low probabilities, 20% were misidentified, and 27% could not be identified. Of the 21 test species not in the MicroScan database, 38% were misidentified and 62% produced biocodes with between-species differences not larger than differences between strains within species. The reliability of the MicroScan enzyme-based system is questioned, in that different results were sometimes obtained upon retesting the same strains. The MicroScan enzyme-based system is rapid, providing results within 4 h. However, because of its restricted and specific database and unreliability, the system appears to be unsuited for the identification of foodborne yeasts.
Deak
T
T
Department of Microbiology, University of Horticulture and Food, Budapest, Hungary.
Beuchat
L R
LR
D005516:Food Microbiology; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013045:Species Specificity; D015003:Yeasts / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology