New test for hard-to-detect foodborne pathogens

DuPont and the USDA have agreed to collaborate on the development of a new test for detecting hard-to-identify strains of toxin-producing E. coli that are not currently regulated and have been causing increased instances of food contamination and illness.

DuPont was among the first to develop tests for E. coli O157:H7, the type of shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) most frequently associated with global food contamination outbreaks.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service uses the DuPont BAX System to monitor for this pathogen.

In recent years, other types of STEC have been identified as agents of foodborne illness, and these are a growing concern in the US, Europe, Japan and food safety agencies worldwide.

The Agricultural Research Service of the USDA (USDA ARS) will collaborate with DuPont Qualicon to develop an effective test for the 'Big 6' non-O157 STEC pathogens in food, and will also expand the diagnostic tools offered for use in the DuPont BAX System.

The US Centers for Disease Control estimate that non-O157 STEC bacteria are responsible for 36,000 illnesses, 1,000 hospitalizations and 30 deaths annually.

The majority of these infections have been associated with six specific serotypes: STEC 026, 045, 0103, O111, O121 and O145.