Electroflotation Pathogen Concentration for Rapid Food Safety Diagnostics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current rapid detection technologies for foodborne pathogens lack sufficient sensitivity for direct point-of-care testing, making it difficult to detect trace contaminations in a timely fashion.
Innovation Solution
An electroflotation device is used to concentrate and extract pathogens from samples, followed by DNA extraction and amplification using nucleic acid amplification assays, enabling rapid detection of pathogens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If rapid detection methods are used for pathogen detection, then detection speed is improved, but detection sensitivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing electroflotation concentration of pathogens from the sample before the nucleic acid amplification detection. This pre-concentration step increases the pathogen load in the extracted DNA, thereby improving detection sensitivity without compromising the rapid speed of the overall assay. The concentration step is integrated into the rapid diagnostic workflow, allowing trace contaminations to be detected while maintaining fast turnaround time.
2Measurement precision
If sample enrichment is performed to improve detection sensitivity, then detection sensitivity is improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical enrichment methods (such as centrifugation, filtration, or immunomagnetic separation) with electroflotation, which uses electrical fields to concentrate pathogens. This substitution maintains rapid processing time while achieving sufficient pathogen concentration for sensitive detection. The electroflotation process occurs quickly without the extended incubation or multiple mechanical steps required by conventional enrichment methods.
3Quantity of substance
If traditional concentration methods are used, then pathogen concentration is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The electroflotation device is designed to be self-contained and automated, requiring minimal user intervention. The system automatically performs the concentration of pathogens from the sample using electrical fields, eliminating the need for complex manual operations associated with traditional concentration methods. This makes the pathogen concentration process as easy to implement as rapid molecular diagnostics while achieving superior concentration results.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The electroflotation device effectively concentrates pathogens, improving detection rates by nucleic acid amplification assays, such as LAMP, even at low concentrations, facilitating timely identification of foodborne pathogens.
Implementation Method 1
the base comprises an electrode array exposed to the hollow interior of the body
Implementation Method 2
Point-of-care electroflotation of dispersed, low tolerance pathogens
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to delivering sample preparation technologies to enhance the performance of point-of-care agricultural diagnostics by improving the capacity to detect trace contaminations of pathogenic organisms along the entire food supply chain including pre- and post-harvest processing and distribution. Sample preparation is crucial for adequate test performance of downstream diagnostics like LAMP and supports sensitive detection of bacterial contaminates. This invention increases the speed and scale of routine pathogen surveillance and the efficacy of management response and mitigation of foodborne disease outbreaks.