Development and evaluation of a new device to effectively detach micro-organisms from food samples

作者：Kim Y H; Lee S Y; Sagong H G; Heu S; Ryu S; Kang D H^*

来源：Letters in Applied Microbiology, 2012, 55(3): 256-262.

DOI：10.1111/j.1472-765X.2012.03289.x

• detaching
• food safety
• foodborne pathogen
• fresh produce
• Spindle
• stomacher

Aims: To develop a new instrument of great versatility for recovering micro-organisms from all types of food samples and to compare the effects with existing sample preparation methods. Methods and Results: To detach micro-organisms from large-size unbroken food samples such as apples, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes without preprocessing, the Spindle apparatus was newly developed. The Spindle was used to effectively detach micro-organisms from large-size samples. In a comparative study involving 51 food samples, treatment with the Spindle and Stomacher showed that recovery of total aerobic micro-organisms (naturally occurring mesophilic microflora) and foodborne pathogens (from samples inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes) for both methods was highly correlated (R2 = 0.98). Furthermore, diluents treated by the Spindle contained much less food debris than those treated by stomaching. Conclusions: These results indicate that Spindle is a novel, effective alternative method for detaching micro-organisms from food samples including four kinds of large-size samples without the need for preprocessing. Significance and Impact of Study: The Spindle might be used to widely detaching micro-organisms from all types of food samples for microbiological assay.

• 出版日期2012-9