The journey from the traditional culture-based methods to the current state of the art is impressive. Culture-based methods remain the first choice for many since they are sensitive, inexpensive, and easy to use. However, they tend to be laborious, time-consuming, and slow to provide results. Methods evolved- first came Immunological methods that Include ELISA, lateral flow immunoassay, and IMS. They are faster, more convenient but lack some specificity. Molecular Detection Methods emerged from simple PCR to multiplex PCR, real-time PCR (qPCR), NASBA, LAMP, and oligonucleotide DNA microarray, and they keep evolving. Along the way, phage-based methods were developed. Many Biosensors...
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How much progress have we made to obtain safe leafy Greens?
On April 6, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced issuing a final report on its investigation of the 2020 fall outbreak of E. coli O157:H7). The FDA also announced the release of an update of their action plan to improve leafy greens’ safety. The 2020 outbreak strain was linked through WGS to previous outbreaks involving leafy greens’ consumption. The outbreak strain was obtained from cattle feces composite sample, taken from a road approximately 1.3 miles upslope from the produce farm. The investigation gave insights into potential sources of contamination, including livestock activities on adjacent land. The FDA...
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Unique new bacteria discovered at the space station that may help growing plants
Scientists on the ISS (International Space Station) have been frequently checking eight locations of the spaceship over the last six years for the presence of microorganisms’ growth. Hundreds of bacteria samples have been collected and studied, with a thousand more waiting to return to Earth for analysis. A study describes the discovery of four new unique bacteria, on the ISS. The bacteria belonging to the family of Methylobacteriaceae were isolated from different locations of the International Space Station (ISS) in two consecutive flights. One of the 4 organisms was previously known and was identified as Methylorubrum rhodesianum. Three of the...
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A 2019 report on the European Union on foodborne outbreaks, illnesses, and death
A recent report by the EFSA and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, presented the results of zoonoses monitoring activities conducted in 2019 in 36 European countries. The most-reported zoonosis in humans was campylobacteriosis, representing 50% of the cases, followed by salmonellosis. The number of cases of these two diseases was stable during 20`5-2019. The third most reported zoonosis in humans was Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection, which increased from 2015 to 2019. Yersiniosis was the fourth most reported in 2019, with a stable trend in 2015–2019. Listeriosis cases followed and remained stable in 2015–2019 after a...