Adding a selective enrichment step to the iQ-Check real-time PCR improves the detection of Salmonella in naturally contaminated retail turkey meat products.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare the real-time iQ-Check Salmonella kit (Bio-Rad) with the immunocapture assay RapidCheck Salmonella method, and a conventional culture method (FSIS, USDA) in detecting Salmonella in naturally contaminated turkey meat products. This study was also designed to determine if a selective enrichment step might improve the real-time detection of Salmonella.


RESULTS
Using the culture method, Salmonella was recovered from 49 out of 99 retail turkey meat samples collected. RapidCheck failed to detect 11 Salmonella samples that were positive by the culture method. The iQ-Check real-time PCR also failed to detect three samples that were positive by the culture method. However, when carried out after a selective enrichment step, the iQ-Check real-time PCR detected all 49 Salmonella samples recovered by the culture method. The iQ-Check real-time PCR detected the presence of Salmonella in some samples that were not recovered by the culture method.


CONCLUSIONS
Adding a selective enrichment step to the iQ-Check real-time PCR improves the detection of Salmonella in naturally contaminated turkey meat samples.


CONCLUSIONS
The iQ-Check Salmonella real-time PCR can be used as a rapid method to monitor Salmonella in turkey meat, together with conventional culture methodology.
Fakhr
M K
MK
Department of Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105, USA.
McEvoy
J M
JM
Sherwood
J S
JS
Logue
C M
CM
D000818:Animals; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D003470:Culture Media; D005506:Food Contamination; D007118:Immunoassay; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012475:Salmonella / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014422:Turkeys / Q000382:microbiology*
D003470:Culture Media