Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the Pall GeneDisc® Plate Salmonella spp., a PCR-based method for the detection of Salmonella in various test portions (25 g and 375 g) of a broad range of food and environmental surfaces in comparison to reference methods using the current AOAC-PTM guidelines.
Methods: The evaluation consisted of method comparison of 19 different food matrices (ground beef, beef trim, raw chicken, ground turkey, chicken carcass rinses, raw shrimp, lettuce, fresh cut cantaloupe, whole cantaloupe, peanut butter, beansprouts, spent irrigation water, dry milk, cheddar cheese, ice cream, milk chocolate, dry pet food, black pepper and shell eggs) and 2 environmental surfaces (rubber and stainless steel). The performances of the alternate assays were compared to USDA/FSIS MLG 4.05 and FDA/BAM Chapter 5.
Results: All samples enriched (N = 1,125) and assayed with the alternate Salmonella method were culturally confirmed by the various confirmation procedures (alternate and reference methods). For food matrices with high competing flora (poultry products, beansprouts, carcass rinsates) or with presence of inhibitory compounds (black pepper), some samples required a subculture of the BPW in selective enrichment broths (TT and RV) in order presumptive positive PCR results can be clearly confirmed. The statistical analysis with POD (Probability of Detection) showed the alternate method to be as good as the USDA and FDA reference methods.
Significance: This molecular method was shown reliable for the detection of Salmonella in various food matrices.