According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die every year from foodborne illness. Some of the causes are disease-causing microbes or pathogens, such as the Norovirus, Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli. Poisonous chemicals and other substances also cause foodborne diseases—of which there are more than 250.
Unfortunately, it is far too easy for food to become contaminated as it's produced and processed. However, procedures and precautions can be taken to prevent harmful results.
In this blog, we’ll explore how to test for foodborne illnesses, explaining the best swabs for the job. But first, let’s dive into the basics.
Healthy meat and poultry can become tainted during slaughter by contact with intestinal contents. Fresh fruits and vegetables can be contaminated if they are washed or irrigated with contaminated water. Healthy-looking hen eggs can be contaminated with Salmonella even before the shell is formed. Shigella bacteria, hepatitis A, and Norovirus can be introduced by the unwashed hands of infected food handlers.
Though the cost to human wellness and life is of greatest concern, foodborne illness also has serious financial implications. The United States Department of Agriculture estimated these illnesses are annually costing the economy more than $15.6 billion.
The number is shocking on its own, but even more so when you consider this public health burden is largely preventable through regular PCR testing and environmental monitoring.
PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) food testing is a powerful molecular technique used to detect and identify specific DNA sequences in food samples, enabling precise identification of pathogens, allergens, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and other contaminants or adulterants. This method amplifies targeted DNA fragments, making it possible to detect even minute quantities of genetic material with high sensitivity and specificity.
PCR food testing is widely used in the food industry for quality control, ensuring food safety, and complying with regulatory standards. By identifying contaminants at the molecular level, PCR testing helps prevent foodborne illnesses, protects consumers, and maintains the integrity of the food supply chain.
"PCR testing is a game-changer in the food industry, providing rapid and accurate detection of pathogens like Salmonella,” said Virginia Templet, Puritan Medical Products “At Puritan, we are committed to supporting this critical process with our high-quality swabs, designed to ensure reliable sample collection and integrity. Our swabs are integral to effective PCR testing, helping to safeguard public health and uphold the highest standards of food safety."
More specifically to the above, a salmonella PCR test is a highly effective way to detect the presence of Salmonella bacteria in food products. This molecular technique amplifies specific DNA sequences associated with Salmonella, allowing for rapid and accurate identification of the pathogen even in very low concentrations. Compared to traditional culture-based methods, PCR testing offers significantly faster results, often within a few hours. This speed is crucial for timely intervention and prevention of the spread of contamination. Salmonella PCR testing is extensively used in the food industry to ensure product safety, comply with regulatory standards, and protect public health by preventing outbreaks of salmonellosis, a common and potentially severe foodborne illness.
Ensuring the highest standards of sanitation in food production and processing is paramount to preventing harm and safeguarding public health. Implementing a robust PCR food testing protocol is a key component of these efforts. To achieve this, organizations should partner with leading manufacturers of food safety and environmental surface sampling devices.
Top-tier manufacturers provide essential tools and resources for food handlers tasked with collecting and testing food for bacterial pathogens. For instance, Puritan Medical Products offers a range of high-quality swabs designed with PCR testing in mind, ensuring accurate and reliable sample collection. By utilizing these advanced sampling devices, food production facilities are able to maintain stringent hygiene standards, effectively detect contaminants, and take proactive measures to prevent foodborne illnesses.
Let’s dive deeper into how sampling various types of products helps prevent bacteria spread.
Regular quality and hygiene control are critical in all meat plants. Where pathogen testing is concerned in this industry, speed is second only to accuracy. Companies want to get their products out the door quickly and they need to be confident the meat does not contain parasites or bacteria like Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli.
The benefits of environmental foam-tipped sampling swabs are their large tip, which increases sample and elution counts, and their rigid paddle-like design, which allows for the even application of pressure necessary for an adequate sample collection. The most effective foam-tipped swabs come with their own transport vials. For ease of use, you remove the swab from its vial, collect the sample, and return the swab to the vial.
For a step-by-step guide on how to test meat with foam-tipped swabs, read this instructional blog post and check out the following video below.
Avian Flu can wreak havoc on poultry farms, causing significant losses and threatening the entire flock. One effective method to monitor the health of your chickens and turkeys is through regular blood tests and PCR testing. According to the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, regular testing reduces the risk of spreading Avian Flu strains, ensures the safety of the controlled marketing process, and allows producers to recover.
Routine monitoring of your poultry for the presence of other respiratory and infectious diseases is no less important. Flocked swabs make the random sampling process for such tests easier for the staff, less injurious to the birds, and more efficient for processing.
To learn more about avian flu and how to protect your poultry, read our detailed blog post. Stay informed and keep your flock healthy.
As more small-scale breweries ramp up production, their sanitation procedures must also evolve to keep up. During the grain malting process, cereal grains are converted into sugars, which are gradually consumed by yeast as the beer ferments. This high-sugar environment is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, which can thrive and multiply, potentially ruining a batch or, worse, contaminating an entire facility.
For the sanitation and quality control protocols that are designed by each facility, Puritan offers a variety of specimen collection swabs and environmental sampling kits that are ideal for surface testing in microbreweries or home production facilities.
To dive deeper into the topic of brewery contamination and learn more about maintaining a sanitary brewing environment, check out our latest blog post. Keep your brewery clean and your beer safe!
So as you can see, different food safety environments call for different testing materials. To learn more about using Puritan as your source for food handlers swabs, contact one of our knowledgeable product specialists today.