Skip to main content

USDA chooses 3M for Campylobacter testing in poultry.

3M™ Molecular Detection System

Every year, 1 in 8 Canadians get sick from contaminated food.1 Many are familiar with Salmonella, a well-known bacteria responsible for an estimated 87,500 illnesses a year.1 Food products can become contaminated with Salmonella during the slaughter and processing of an animal, when food is handled by a person infected with the bacteria, by cross‐contamination or by unsanitary food handling practices.2 Campylobacter is another bacteria responsible for food-related illness, impacting approximately 145,000 Canadians a year.1 Campylobacter is a bacteria found naturally in the intestines of animals such as poultry, cattle, swine, rodents, wild birds and even household pets. The bacteria can also be found in untreated surface water that has been contaminated due to fecal matter in the environment.3

When ingested, raw poultry or meat containing Campylobacter or Salmonella can make a person ill with flu-like symptoms that can develop into serious long-term illnesses with lasting effects. Those with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, young children and elderly individuals are more at risk of developing complications.3,4 This type of food-poisoning can be prevented by consumers using best practices at home when handling and preparing raw meat products. Additionally, using the right testing methods in meat processing facilities is important to help mitigate safety risks for food products.

Reliable testing solutions.

For poultry processors, a solution for testing two types of bacteria simultaneously is available: the 3M™ Molecular Detection System with 3M™ Molecular Detection Assay 2 - Campylobacter and 3M™ Molecular Detection Assay 2 – Salmonella. With a single protocol for both pathogens post-enrichment, processors can perform up to 96 tests of multiple types in one 60-minute run. In addition to the assay, 3M offers Campylobacter Enrichment Broth, a simplified enrichment that requires only sterile water, eliminating one of the many steps in traditional monitoring methods.

3M Food Safety has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) for Campylobacter5 detection with the 3M™ Molecular Detection System. The award makes the 3M™ Molecular Detection System the primary method to be used by USDA FSIS for the detection of Campylobacter in poultry. 

The advantages of LAMP technology.

The 3M™ Molecular Detection System is a fast, accurate, easy-to-use, and affordable solution powered by unique DNA-based technology — Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP).

Gabriela Lopez Velasco, Ph.D., is a senior global technical service expert in 3M’s Food Safety Lab. She explains the advantages of using LAMP rather than polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which has been used for pathogen detection for more than 30 years:

“PCR testing requires numerous cycles of heating and cooling to amplify the target – and that calls for more complex equipment.” 

LAMP uses isothermal amplification, meaning it only needs to be heated up to one temperature – 60 to 65 degrees Celsius. That means fewer steps for the technician and smaller, simpler equipment. In comparison to traditional cultural methods, rapid methods for food-borne pathogen detection are able to drastically reduce the time-to-result of food testing.6 The 3M™ Molecular Detection System also uses bioluminescence to detect the amplification reaction, allowing detection of the target pathogen in less than 15 minutes.

Gabriela sees the advantages for food safety technicians.

“With PCR, there are multiple steps,” she says. “For lysis of enriched samples, you add the enzyme, heat it and cool it before transfer to amplification reaction leading to multiple transfer steps,” she says. “With LAMP there are only two transfers and amplification at only one temperature.”

Interested in learning more about the 3M™ Molecular Detection System? Speak with a 3M food safety expert today.

 

References:

  1. Yearly food-borne illness estimates for Canada - Canada.ca
  2. Salmonellosis Fact Sheet – City of Toronto
  3. Yearly food-borne illness estimates for Canada - Canada.ca
  4. Campylobacter jejuni - Canada.ca
  5. Risks of salmonellosis (Salmonella) - Canada.ca
  6. Campylobacter jejuni - Canada.ca
  7. advancing-poultry-pathogen-management-using-modern-testing-technology.pdf (3m.com)

About the Author

[enBio=Across the globe, 3M helps companies and individuals succeed every day. All while contributing to true global sustainable development through environmental protection, corporate and social responsibility and economic progress. We are applying our science to make a real impact in every person's life around the world.],[enJob=Food Safety Division],[frBio=Chaque jour, 3M aide les entreprises et les gens à réussir. Tout cela en contribuant au développement durable réel par le biais de la protection de l'environnement, la responsabilité sociale en entreprise et le progrès économique. Nous appliquons notre science afin de faire une différence réel dans la vie de chaque personne dans le monde.],[frJob=Division de la sécurité alimentaire]

Profile Photo of 3M Canada