Irish researchers develop kit that reduces salmonella test times

IRISH researchers have developed a salmonella testing kit that has drastically reduced the time required to complete a standard test.

Commercialisation is imminent for the new test, which has been developed by researchers at UCC, NUIG and Teagasc. Food companies are gathering to meet at a workshop at Teagasc’s Ashtown Food Research Centre, in Dublin, on October 8.

The new kit has reduced salmonella test times from 5 to 7 days down to just two days. The test has also been developed to distinguish between different types of salmonella, which could prove invaluable as some strains have become drug resistant. The detectable pathogens are listeria monocytogenes, salmonella spp and verocytotoxigenic ecoli. Teagasc’s half-day workshop will outline the techniques which can be taken on board by laboratories under licence agreement.