Quantification of Listeria monocytogenes in fermented sausages by MPN-PCR method.
OBJECTIVE
To combine the principles of most-probable-number (MPN) statistics and the conventional PCR technique to enumerate Listeria monocytogenes in fermented sausages.


RESULTS
A simple method to enumerate L. monocytogenes in fermented sausages was developed and compared with direct plating in Palcam agar. Species-specific MPN-PCR, but not direct plating, made the enumeration of L. monocytogenes possible in all assayed samples.


CONCLUSIONS
MPN-PCR proved to be a rapid and reliable method for enumerating L. monocytogenes in fermented sausages, including low contaminated samples.


CONCLUSIONS
This MPN-PCR technique may facilitate the enumeration of L. monocytogenes for routine analyses in fermented sausages without excessive work.
Martín
B
B
Meat Technology Center, IRTA, Granja Camps i Armet, Girona, Spain.
Jofré
A
A
Garriga
M
M
Hugas
M
M
Aymerich
T
T
D000818:Animals; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D005285:Fermentation; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S