Canadian researchers invent rapid test for E. coli in foods

Researchers at a Canadian university have developed a test that can detect a particularly serious strain of E. coli much faster than existing methods.

The team at Western University in London, Ontario. indicates that his test kit can indicate if a food has been contaminated with E. coli O157 in a few hours, rather than the number of days or weeks it currently needs for the test results to come back.

The food samples to be tested are incubated for a few hours. A sample is then placed on a buffer. After 15 minutes, the pad displays a red line to indicate that it is working properly – and a second if the sample contains E. coli O157.

"It's a bit like a pregnancy test," Rieder told CTV Thursday, Your Morning.

The O157 strain, which is commonly found in minced meat, is considered to be more likely to cause serious illness than other forms of E. Coli. About 440 cases of E. Coli O157 are reported in Canada in an average year.

Rieder and his team at Western claim that their kit also makes the E testing process. Coli O157 less expensive than existing technology, which could make it easier for small producers to test their products.

The main benefit of a faster test, they say, is that the results are received well before the contaminated products are marketed – which reduces the risks to the public and the need for safety reminders. 39, large scale food.

"You can have an area in the factory where you can test the food directly," said Rieder.

"It's fast, it's simple and it's cheap."

The kit received Health Canada approval and was developed with support from the food industry.

"At the same time next year, we hope it will be widely used in food factories," said Rieder.

E. coli O157 is the same strain responsible for dozens of recent diseases in Canada and the United States related to romaine lettuce. The Public Health Agency of Canada advised people living in Ontario and Quebec not to consume romaine lettuce until more details about the origin of the diseases are known.

If faster detection of E. coli O157 contamination could result in a reduction in the number of foodborne illnesses, some experts claim that there are other ways to combat all dangerous forms of contamination.

"It's like finding a needle in a haystack. It's better not to have needles in this haystack, "Keith Warriner, professor of food science at the University of Guelph, told CTVNews.ca on Wednesday.

Mr. Warriner said he would like more attention to be paid to decontamination processes in food processing facilities and other efforts to end E. coli contamination at the source rather than than to catch it after touching food.

Public health authorities play this type of catch-up game with recent reports of Roman contamination. No reminder was issued, which is the same behavior as the Public Health Agency of Canada and the US authorities managed a similar outbreak to the Roman last year.

Warriner said the health authorities may have hesitated to issue a global recall on the Roman because of the damage it would cause to producers and sellers of products with no connection to the disease – even though warning of potential danger, many people avoided it altogether.

"We would not expect it from a public health agency, but that seems to be the norm now," he said.

"You might as well make a cover reminder, because who is going to serve romaine lettuce now?"