Fresh Food Pathogen Detection Before Chilling Shock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting bacterial and fungal pathogens in fresh foods require lengthy enrichment incubation periods, which are impractical for industries needing rapid results within 6-7 hours, and shorter incubation periods lack reliability and regulatory compliance.
Innovation Solution
A method involving immediate application of pre-warmed enrichment medium to samples before chilling, followed by incubation at 32° C. to 45° C. for 2-4 hours, recovery of enrichment medium, and concentration using centrifugation or magnetic beads, followed by nucleic acid-based detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If current assay methods use shorter enrichment incubation periods, then detection time is reduced, but detection reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing sample collection and initial enrichment steps before chilling occurs. By conducting the enrichment incubation immediately after sampling while the sample is still at ambient temperature, the method captures the critical window where pathogens are most viable and abundant, thereby reducing total detection time while maintaining reliability through proper pre-chilling enrichment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by optimizing incubation temperature and time parameters. The method specifies incubation at temperatures between 20-45°C for 1-24 hours, allowing flexible adjustment based on pathogen type and sample matrix. This parameter optimization enables reliable detection within reduced timeframes compared to conventional fixed protocols.
2Measurement precision
If reliance on concentration steps is used for low level pathogen detection, then detection sensitivity is improved, but detection reliability deteriorates due to chemistry failures and auto-agglutination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an intermediary approach by using a selective enrichment medium as a mediator between the sample and detection step. This enriched medium selectively promotes pathogen growth while suppressing background flora and interfering substances, creating an intermediate enriched sample that is both sensitive and reliable for subsequent detection without requiring problematic concentration steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical concentration systems (such as centrifugation, filtration, or magnetic beads) with a biological enrichment system. By using selective media that promotes pathogen proliferation through nutritional and environmental factors, the method achieves concentration effect without the mechanical artifacts and chemistry failures associated with physical concentration techniques.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If samples are chilled immediately after collection, then food safety is improved by suppressing microbial growth, but pathogen detection reliability deteriorates due to cold-shock
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing the enrichment incubation immediately after sampling before the chilling step. This timing captures pathogens while they are still metabolically active and viable, preventing cold-shock induced stress that would occur if chilling preceded enrichment. The method thus preserves pathogen detectability while still allowing subsequent chilling for safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining the sample in a temperature-range favorable for pathogen growth during the enrichment phase, then transitioning to chilling only after enrichment is complete. This continuous process ensures pathogens remain viable and detectable throughout the workflow, avoiding the disruption of cold-shock that would break the continuity of useful detection action.
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
Enables rapid and reliable detection of pathogens in fresh foods within 60-90 minutes, avoiding cold-shock and ensuring 100-fold to 1000-fold concentration of target microbes, thus meeting industry needs for quick and accurate results.
Implementation Method 1
incubating (e.g., immediately) the non-chilled sample for a time period, and at a temperature sufficient to allow for amplification and enrichment of a non-cold-shocked target microbe
Implementation Method 2
applying an amount of a enrichment medium sufficient to cover the sample surfaces to provide a non-chilled sample for incubation
Implementation Method 3
the enrichment medium contains a surfactant and/or a wetting agent present in sufficient concentration to insure providing a coating or film on all the sample surfaces
Implementation Method 4
concentrating the target microbes from the recovered enrichment medium to provide recovered concentrated target microbes
Implementation Method 5
concentrating the target microbes from the recovered enrichment medium to provide recovered concentrated target microbes
Implementation Method 6
detecting the target microbes, using at least the portion of the recovered concentrated target organisms
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are methods for rapid detection of microbial contaminants in fresh foods, involving obtaining a product sample (preferably at or near the time of harvest of the product), applying, prior to any chilling of the sample or the product, an amount of a enrichment medium sufficient to cover the sample surfaces to provide a non-chilled sample for incubation, incubating the non-chilled sample for a time period and at a temperature sufficient to allow for amplification and enrichment of a non-cold-shocked target microbe, followed by recovering all or a portion of the enrichment media, concentrating the target microbes from the recovered enrichment medium, and detecting the concentrated target microbes.