Development and application of a novel peptide nucleic acid probe for the specific detection of Cronobacter genomospecies (Enterobacter sakazakii) in powdered infant formula

C Almeida; N F Azevedo; C Iversen; S Fanning; C W Keevil; M J Vieira

doi:10.1128/AEM.02470-08

Development and application of a novel peptide nucleic acid probe for the specific detection of Cronobacter genomospecies (Enterobacter sakazakii) in powdered infant formula

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2009 May;75(9):2925-30. doi: 10.1128/AEM.02470-08. Epub 2009 Mar 6.

Authors

C Almeida¹, N F Azevedo, C Iversen, S Fanning, C W Keevil, M J Vieira

Affiliation

¹ Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centre of Biological Engineering, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.

Abstract

Here, we report a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method for rapid detection of Cronobacter strains in powdered infant formula (PIF) using a novel peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe. Laboratory tests with several Enterobacteriaceae species showed that the specificity and sensitivity of the method were 100%. FISH using PNA could detect as few as 1 CFU per 10 g of Cronobacter in PIF after an 8-h enrichment step, even in a mixed population containing bacterial contaminants.

Publication types

Evaluation Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cronobacter sakazakii / isolation & purification*
Food Microbiology*
Humans
In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / methods
Infant Formula*
Oligonucleotide Probes / genetics*
Peptide Nucleic Acids*
Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

Oligonucleotide Probes
Peptide Nucleic Acids