Researchers Devises Simple, Quick Approach for Identifying Germs That Cause Food Poisoning with Color Variations

Researchers have devised a quick and easy approach for recognizing microorganisms that cause food poisoning.

The researchers discovered the food poisoning bacteria E using these composites for test labels tied to bacteria. E. coli O26, E. coli O157 and S.aureus under a microscope, appears as white, red, and blue dispersed light, respectively.

With this innovative technique, numerous bacterial species could be simultaneously identified in under an hour, drastically cutting down on the typical 48-hour turnaround time for bacterial tests.

Color signals help detects dangerous bacteria

(Photo : Adrian Lange/Unsplash)

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that each year, 600 million people, or approximately 1 out of 10 suffer from food poisoning, which results in 420,000 fatalities, as per ScienceDaily.

At food manufacturing facilities, bacterial tests are used to look for germs that can cause food poisoning, but the results take longer than 48 hours to get in because culture takes time.

There is still a need for quick testing techniques to stop food poisoning mishaps.

The research team was led by Professor Hiroshi Shiigi at the Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Metropolitan University.

The enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (E. coli O26 and E. coli O157) and Staphylococcus aureus food poisoning-causing bacteria were quickly and simultaneously identified using the optical properties of organic metal NHs, composites made of polyaniline particles that encapsulate numerous metal nanoparticles.

First, the group discovered that compared to metal nanoparticles of the same size, organic metal NHs produced stronger scattered light.

They are anticipated to serve as stable and extremely sensitive labeling materials since the dispersed light of these NHs is steady in the air for a long time.

Antibodies that bind to E. coli specifically were introduced by the team.

The ability of the antibody-conjugated NHs to bind to certain bacterial species was assessed by incorporating S. aureus into the organic metal NHs and using those NHs as labels.

By altering the introduction of the antibodies, this technique can distinguish between different species of bacteria.

Additionally, the new testing procedure is more useful because bacteria may be found quickly within an hour without the need for culturing.

Also Read: Common Food Additives Cause Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome

Value of Food Safety Testing

Testing for food safety is essential for preserving consumer health and wellness.

As more people become concerned with what goes into their homes and what they put on or put inside their bodies, the necessity of testing food, how it is transported, and the facilities it comes from has been stressed in recent months, as per FSNS.

Food testing has significantly expanded, according to reports, and the market for food safety testing is expected to reach an estimated $24.6 billion by 2023 as a result of the rising need for food products that are secure and helpful to customers' welfare.

Food safety is described by the United States Department of Agriculture as the state and procedures that safeguard not only the quality of the food being sent to consumers but also the procedures that help ensure the prevention of contamination from potential hazard materials/compounds, as well as bacteria and viruses that could infect consumers.

Testing for microorganisms primarily looks for infections and live things that could damage customers.

These tests check for infections that can impair the general quality of the food being shipped out to grocery stores and other businesses in addition to those known to make consumers unwell.

To ensure the best food products reach customers, it is essential to test for spoiling organisms and indications.

Related Article: Scientists Document a Case of Dangerous Bacteria in a Common Weed Found Throughout the United States