The VIT technology for rapid detection of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria spp.
Detection of Listeria monocytogenes is generally performed in a two-step cultural enrichment process and takes on average 1 week until the biochemical identification of a L. monocytogenes suspicious colony is completed. However, food processing companies depend increasingly on test methods, which attempt to generate results comparable to standard methods but in reduced time-frame and which allow to release produced batches dependent on such results. In the present study, the vermicon identification technology (VIT), a rapid commercial test system using fluorescently labelled gene probes, was compared to a cultural standard method. In total, 298 naturally contaminated samples were analysed. The sensitivity and the specificity of the VIT system were 100% for the detection of L. monocytogenes and 97.1% and 100%, respectively, for the detection of the genus Listeria.
Stephan
Roger
R
Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 272, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland. stephanr@fsafety.unizh.ch
Schumacher
Sandra
S
Zychowska
Marzena Anna
MA
D000818:Animals; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005453:Fluorescence; D005506:Food Contamination; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005525:Food-Processing Industry / Q000592:standards*; D008087:Listeria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors
D012335:RNA, Ribosomal