Microbiology
Test kits for the detection of microbiological contamination
Microbiology
Food contaminated with microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts, molds or viruses may pose a risk to the consumer. In addition to the detection of pathogenic microorganisms, it is important to monitor typical spoilage organisms in order to reduce losses during production.
Microorganisms are creatures of microscopically small size, mainly organized as single-cell organisms, while some of them may occur multicellularly. They can be found everywhere in the natural environment (water, soil, air, etc.). Microorganisms may naturally be present in foods or on the surfaces of foods (e.g. fresh vegetables) or added as contamination during the manufacturing process of food products (e.g. insufficient hygiene in meat processing).
In food industry, it can be distinguished between different categories of microbiological contamination:
Pathogenic microorganisms are either not allowed at all to occur in the foodstuff or they are limited to a specified number of cells per gram food. These limits differ to the respective food matrix. (For more information please visit the DGHM Website.) If limits are exceeded, this might have tremendous consequences for consumer’s health. Therefore, a zero tolerance per 25 g of food sample is predicted for most of all common pathogens (Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli, etc.).
In general, you can differentiate between two methods of microbiological testing: food testing and hygiene monitoring / cleaning control.
Detection of microorganisms in the production environment
Microbiological tests for cleaning and hygiene control detect general residues of foods on insufficient cleaned surfaces in the production environment. These residues of nutrients are the basis for growth of microorganisms.
Colony counting in foods or on surfaces can be done using the ready-to-use Compact Dry plates. Compact Dry plates are available for 13 different parameters of analysis. General method base of examinations with Compact Dry is the cultivation of microorganisms on standard nutrient media. The test principle is based on specific chromogenic substrates which are converted into colored products by the metabolism of microorganisms. Beside examination of diluted food samples, Compact Dry is also suited for swab samples from surfaces or incubation of membrane filter samples from liquids.
Residues of foods on surfaces can be detected using protein tests (RIDA®CHECK) or ATP measurements (LuciPac™Pen, LuciPac™ A3 Surface). Determination of proteins roughly describes the stage of contamination by color change of the colorimetric detection reagent. However, the relative amount of ATP (Adenosintriphosphat) or AMP (Adenosinmonophosphat) respectively can be measured very precisely. A special bioluminescence reaction which requires the presence of ATP or AMP is recorded in a special luminometer instrument (Lumitester SMART). Both systems are suited for consistent control of efficiency of cleaning procedures. These controls ensure maintenance of general industrial hygiene. Surfaces which are hygienically clean can reduce the risk of product contaminations.
Compact Dry | RIDA®CHECK | Lumitester SMART |
---|---|---|
Ready-to-use nutrient plates | Protein test | ATP / AMP measurement |
Microbial count on surfaces and in diluted food samples | Swab test for the detection of food residues on surfaces | Detection of food residues on surfaces |
Easy and safe | Rapid and reliable method | Rapid and convenient using LuciPac®Pen and LuciPac™ A3 Surface with integrated swab |
Detection of microorganisms in foods
Toxic residues of bacteria in food and beverage samples can be analyzed with test kits for bacterial toxins. Common test formats for microbial food testing are ELISA assays, real-time PCR tests, nutrient plates and agar plates.
For detection of pathogenic bacteria, immunological based methods (ELISA) are available. RIDASCREEN® assays are based on the sandwich technology, in which the antigen (bacterial surface protein) will be captured in the well of a microplate and detected by adding a second antibody which is marked with a special detection enzyme. The immunological detection requires suitable pre-enrichment procedures depending on the kind of pathogen bacteria.
The detection of bacterial toxins is possible directly from food samples (RIDASCREEN® SET Total and RIDASCREEN® SET A,B,C,D,E) or is used for indirect detection of toxin producing pathogenic bacteria subsequent to appropriate pre-enrichment.
The identification of pathogenic bacteria and viruses can be performed with molecular biological systems, e.g. the highly specific real-time PCR kits of the SureFast® PATHOGEN line. The modular system consists of optimized DNA preparation via spin filter columns and the commonly used TaqMan hydrolysis probe technology linked with FAM dyes for detection. It can be performed with all commonly available types of real-time PCR thermo cyclers. The internal amplification control is integrated into all PLUS kits. The appropriate choice of amplification control dye depends on the cycler type where the reaction will be applied to.
RIDASCREEN® | SureFast® | Compact Dry |
---|---|---|
Immunological test (ELISA) | Molecular-biological test (real-time PCR) | Ready-to-use nutrient plates |
For the detection of bacteria and bacterial toxins | For the detection of bacteria and viruses | Microbial count on surfaces and in diluted food samples |
Rapid and reliable method | Highly specific and fast; suitable for all standard PCR thermal cyclers | Easy and safe |
SureFast® Microbiology
SureFast® real-time PCR tests are efficient and highly specific molecular biological tests for detecting microorganisms. Learn more in our product flyer.
Product portfolio
Product | Description | No. of tests/amount | Art. No. |
---|---|---|---|
Compact Dry PA |
Compact Dry PA is a simple and safe test procedure for the determination and quantification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa counts in foods, cosmetics, water samples or pharmaceutical materials. The ready-to-use plates consist of a special 50 mm diameter … Read more |
HS9491: 100 nutrient plates, HS9492: 40 nutrient plates, four plates are packed in one aluminum bag. |
HS9491 / HS9492 |
Compact Dry YMR |
Usage of Compact Dry YMR (rapid) is a simple, safe and fast test procedure for determination and quantification of yeasts and molds in foods or raw materials – as well as pharmaceutical raw materials. The ready-to-use plates consist of a special 50 … Read more |
HS9801: 100 nutrient plates, HS9802: 40 nutrient plates, four plates are packed in one aluminum bag. |
HS9801 / HS9802 |
Product | Description | No. of tests/amount | Art. No. |
---|---|---|---|
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN® Yeast Top fermented low |
Real-time PCR-Kit for the detection of top-fermented yeast. Read more |
48 reactions | Q152 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Beer differentiation white |
Differentiation of beer spoilage bacteria and yeast in beer and mixed beer drinks. The following bacteria and yeast are differentiated: L. acetotolerans, L. backii, L. brevis/L. brevisimilis/L. parabrevis, L. lindneri, L. casei/ L paracasei, L. … Read more |
12 strips à 8 tubes (one strip per sample, tube 2 contains lyticase) for 12 samples. | Q083 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Beer differentiation low |
Differentiation of beer spoilage bacteria and yeast in beer and mixed beer drinks. The following bacteria and yeast are differentiated: L. acetotolerans, L. backii, L. brevis/L. brevisimilis/L. parabrevis, L. lindneri, L. casei/ L paracasei, L. … Read more |
12 strips à 8 tubes (one strip per sample, tube 2 contains lyticase) for 12 samples. | Q082 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Beer yeast and bacteria differentiation white |
Differentiation of beer spoilage bacteria and yeast in beer and mixed beer drinks. The following bacteria and yeasts are differentiated: Lactobacilli Pediococci Acetic acid bacteria Enterobacteriaceae Bottom-fermented yeast Top-fermented yeast Wild … Read more |
96 PCR reactions (24 samples) 12 stripes (tubes 2, 3, 5 and 6 contain lyticase) |
Q073 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Beer yeast and bacteria differentiation low |
Differentiation of beer spoilage bacteria and yeast in beer and mixed beer drinks. The following bacteria and yeasts are differentiated: Lactobacilli Pediococci Acetic acid bacteria Enterobacteriaceae Bottom-fermented yeast Top-fermented yeast Wild … Read more |
96 PCR reactions (24 samples) 12 stripes |
Q072 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening and Hop resistance |
Qualitative detection of bacterial contaminations and the hop resistance genes hor A and hor C as genetic markers for beer-spoilage microorganisms in beer and mixed beer drinks. Read more |
50 reactions | Q055 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening and Hop resistance low MG |
Qualitative detection of bacterial contaminations and the hop resistance genes hor A and hor C as genetic markers for beer-spoilage microorganisms in beer and mixed beer drinks. Read more |
48 reactions | Q054 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening and Hop resistance white |
Qualitative detection of bacterial contaminations and the hop resistance genes hor A and hor C as genetic markers for beer-spoilage microorganisms in beer and mixed beer drinks. Read more |
48 reactions | Q053 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening and Hop resistance low |
Qualitative detection of bacterial contaminations and the hop resistance genes hor A and hor C as genetic markers for beer-spoilage microorganisms in beer and mixed beer drinks. Read more |
48 reactions | Q052 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 and S. diastaticus Screening |
Qualitative detection of bacterial and S. cerevisiae var. diastaticus contaminations in filtrated beer, beer mixes and yeast containing samples. Read more |
50 reactions | Q045 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 and S. diastaticus Screening low MG |
Qualitative detection of bacterial and S.diastaticus contaminations in filtrated beer and mixed beer drinks and yeast containing samples. Read more |
48 reactions | Q044 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 and S. diastaticus Screening white |
Qualitative detection of bacterial and S.diastaticus contaminations in filtrated beer and mixed beer drinks. Read more |
48 reactions | Q043 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 and S. diastaticus Screening low |
Qualitative detection of bacterial and S. cerevisiae var. diastaticus contaminations in filtrated beer, beer mixes and yeast containing samples. Read more |
48 reactions | Q042 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening without yeast |
Qualitative detection of bacterial contaminations in beer and mixed beer drinks. Read more |
50 reactions | Q035 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening without yeast white |
Qualitative detection of bacterial contaminations in beer and mixed beer drinks. Read more |
48 reactions | Q033 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening without yeast low |
Qualitative detection of bacterial contaminations in beer and mixed beer drinks. Read more |
48 reactions | Q032 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening |
Qualitative detection of bacterial and yeast contaminations in filtrated beer and beer mixes. For products with high amount of yeast use the Screening Kit without yeast detection to find bacterial contaminations more sensitive (Q035). Read more |
50 reactions | Q025 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening low MG |
Qualitative detection of bacterial and yeast contaminations in filtrated beer and beer mixes. Read more |
48 reactions | Q024 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening white |
Qualitative detection of bacterial and yeast contaminations in filtrated beer and beer mixes. For products with high amount of yeast use the Screening Kit without yeast detection to find bacterial contaminations more sensitive (Q033). Read more |
48 reactions | Q023 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening low |
Qualitative detection of bacterial and yeast contaminations in filtrated beer and beer mixes. For products with high amount of yeast use the Screening Kit without yeast detection to find bacterial contaminations more sensitive (Q032). Read more |
48 reactions | Q022 |
SureFast® Escherichia coli Serotype II 4plex |
The SureFast® Escherichia coli Serotype II 4plex is a real-time PCR for the direct, qualitative detection and differentiation of specific wzx gene DNA sequences of Escherichia coli O45, wbdl gene DNA sequences of Escherichia coli O111 and ihp1 gene … Read more |
100 reactions | F5168 |
SureFast® Escherichia coli Serotype I 4plex |
The SureFast® Escherichia coli Serotype I 4plex is a real-time PCR kit for the direct, qualitative detection and differentiation of specfifc wzx gene DNA sequences of Escherichia coli O121, O26 and O103. Read more |
100 reactions | F5167 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Wine Screening without yeast high |
Qualitative detection of Lactobacilli, Pediococci, Oenococcus oeni and acetic acid bacteria in wine and grape must. Read more |
48 reactions | Q331 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Wine Screening high |
Qualitative detection and differentiation of bacterial and yeast contaminations in wine and grape must. Read more |
48 reactions | Q321 |
SureFast® Foodborne Pathogens 4plex |
The SureFast® Foodborne Pathogens 4plex is a real-time PCR for for the direct, qualitative detection and differentiation of Escherichia coli virulence factors (stx1 [subtype a-d], stx2 [subtype a-g]), Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.. Each … Read more |
100 reactions | F5175 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Wild yeast 2 |
Detection of wild yeast in beverages by real-time PCR. The following yeasts are detected: Candida glabrata Candida albicans Candida kefyr Candida intermedia Candida parapsilosis Candida sake Candida tropicalis Naumovozyma dairenensis Pichia … Read more |
50 reactions | Q535 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Wild yeast 1 low |
Detection of wild yeast in beverages by real-time PCR. The following yeasts are detected: Dekkera anomala Dekkera bruxellensis Dekkera custersiana Dekkera naardenensis Debaromyces hansenii Hanseniaspora guillermondii Hanseniaspora osmophila … Read more |
48 reactions | Q522 |
SureFast® Salmonella Species/Enteritidis/Typhimurium 4plex |
The SureFast® Salmonella Species/Enteritidis/Typhimurium 4plex is a real-time PCR for the direct, qualitative detection and differentiation of Salmonella spp., Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium. Each reaction contains an internal … Read more |
100 reactions | F5166 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening high |
Qualitative detection of bacterial and yeast contaminations in filtrated beer and beer mixes. For products with high amount of yeast use the Screening Kit without yeast detection to find bacterial contaminations more sensitive (Q031). Read more |
48 reactions | Q021 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Enterobacteriacea spp. |
Qualitative multiplex PCR-detection of enterobacteriaceae as indicators for hygiene and postprocessing contaminations. The system contains an integrated inhibition control. Read more |
50 reactions | Q145 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Lactobacillus spp. / Pediococcus spp. |
Qualitative detection of Lactobacillus spp. and Pediococcus spp. in beverages. Read more |
48 reactions tube strips (freeze-dried, incl. IC-DNA) |
QTLP0048* |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening without yeast high |
Qualitative detection of bacterial contaminations in beer and mixed beer drinks. Read more |
48 reactions tube strips (freeze-dried, incl. IC-DNA) |
Q031 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Yeast Saccharomyces diastaticus low |
Detection of Saccharomyces diastaticus in beverages by real-time PCR. Read more |
48 reactions | Q182 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 and S. diastaticus Screening high |
Qualitative detection of bacterial and S.diastaticus contaminations in filtrated beer and mixed beer drinks and yeast containing samples. Read more |
48 reactions tube strips (freeze-dried, incl. IC-DNA and lyticase) |
Q041 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Yeast differentiation high |
Differentiation of 12 beer spoilage yeasts in beer and mixed beer drinks. The following yeast are differentiated: Saccharomyces exiguus Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. diastaticus Saccharomyces bayanus / pastorianus Saccharomycodes ludwigii … Read more |
96 reactions for 12 samples (tubes contain lyticase). | Q541 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN P1 Screening and Hop resistance high |
Qualitative detection of bacterial contaminations and the hop resistance genes hor A and hor C as genetic markers for beer-spoilage microorganisms in beer and mixed beer drinks. Read more |
48 reactions | Q051 |
SureFast®STEC Screening PLUS |
The SureFast® STEC Screening PLUS is a real-time PCR for the direct, qualitative detection of DNA sequences of the virulence factors stx1 (subtype a-d) and stx2 (subtype a-g) of Escherichia coli (STEC). Each reaction contains an internal … Read more |
100 reactions | F5105 |
SureFast® Hepatitis E PLUS |
SureFast® Hepatitis E PLUS is a real-time RT-PCR for the direct and qualitative detection of hepatitis E virus. The test contains an Internal Control RNA (ICR, consisting of MS2-bacteriophage) as an internal control of sample preparation procedure … Read more |
100 reactions | F7142 |
GEN-IAL® Pichia membranaefaciens |
Real-time PCR-Kit for the detection of Pichia membranaefaciens. Read more |
50 reactions | Q930 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus |
Detection of Wickerhamomyces anomalus in beverages (e.g. beer, wine, grape must) by real-time PCR. Read more |
50 reactions | Q175 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN® Yeast Top fermented high |
Real-time PCR-Kit for the detection of top-fermented yeast. Read more |
48 reactions | Q151 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Yeast Bottom fermented high |
Detection of bottom-fermented yeast in beverages by real-time PCR. Read more |
48 reactions | Q161 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Pectinatus / Megasphaera differentiation low |
Real-time PCR-Kit for the detection of Pectinatus spp. and Megasphaera spp in beverages. Read more |
48 reactions | Q112 |
GEN-IAL® QuickGEN Beer yeast and bacteria differentiation high |
Differentiation of beer spoilage bacteria and yeast in beer and mixed beer drinks. The following bacteria and yeasts are differentiated: Lactobacilli Pediococci Acetic acid bacteria Enterobacteriaceae Bottom-fermented yeast Top-fermented yeast Wild … Read more |
96 PCR reactions (24 samples) 12 stripes |
Q071 |