Molecular diagnostic tools

Identification of pathogenic organisms

When food spoilage and pathogenic organisms are found, rapid responses are crucial. Moreover, it is often essential to identify of the causal microbe and determine its source. NIZO can support companies with swift isolation, identification and diversity analysis of cultures from foods, ingredients, and the processing and packaging chain.

Detection of micro-organisms

DNA-based methods, including real-time PCR, at NIZO food research enable rapid and specific detection and quantification of micro-organisms. Conventional methods rely on growth of micro-organisms on agar media and biochemical characterization of isolates and usually do not meet the requirements of the food industry.

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• Detection on-farm
• Detection during design, production and processing
• Detection in the end product

• On-farm quality management
  Raw milk quality is essential for all following processes in the dairy chain and for the payment of the farmer. Therefore, raw milk quality is extensively monitored. However, also low level contamination of milk by spores or pathogens can have far reaching consequences.
  
  NIZO offers a broad range of methods to monitor pathogens and spore-formers in milk.
  • Detect the extent of fecal matter contamination in milk using quantitative PCR
  • Detect down to 1 spore per 100 ml milk
  • Design (PCR) assays to detect (new) specific micro-organisms including spore-formers
  • Determine the complete micro-biota in milk using modern sequencing techniques
  • Find the cause and source of specific contaminations using finger printing techniques
  • Construct a data base of regularly occurring spoilage bacteria

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• Design, production and processing
  Production failure, contaminated or spoiled products ask for a fast detection of the contaminants and a swift response to prevent further spread. Recurring issues ask for long term monitoring. Molecular methods provide a fast and specific tools to deal effectively with occurring issues.
  
  NIZO offers a broad range of methods to monitor pathogens and spore-formers in milk.
  • Find the cause and source of specific contaminations using finger printing techniques
  • Detect and monitor the factory in-house micro-biota using modern sequencing methods and detect potential hazards
  • Detect and monitor the micro-biota of a specific processing step
  • Detect bio-films and other sources of microbial contamination
  • In depth understanding of spoilage micro-biota by genome sequencing and phenotypic screening
  • Design (PCR) assays to detect (new) specific micro-organisms including spore-formers
  • Construct a data base of regularly occurring spoilage bacteria
     

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• End product
  End product spoilage has serious consequences. Therefore, speed in detecting and tracing the spoilage micro-organism is of utmost importance. NIZO food research can assist with a variety of conventional and molecular methods to speed up this process. In addition to product failure, there can also be product defects in e.g. flavor and texture or the contamination with specific metabolites such as biogenic amines that are caused by bacteria. 
  
  NIZO offers a broad range of methods to monitor pathogens and spore-formers in milk.
  • Find the cause and source of specific contaminations using finger printing techniques
  • Creating a data base of spoilage micro-organisms to speed up the process of detection, containment and prevention
  • In depth understanding of spoilage micro-biota by genome sequencing and phenotypic screening – where do off-flavors or other metabolites come from?
  • Design (PCR) assays to detect (new) specific micro-organisms including spore-formers 
  • Construct a data base of regularly occurring spoilage bacteria

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