Food safety is going to change dramatically with the development of new
equipment hat can provide instant identification of harmful bacteria, says Don
Blakely of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Researchers at Michigan State University have developed the equipment
that can detect bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli within as
little as one hour.
The equipment uses nanotechnology in a sensor.
“Testing for pathogens has traditionally required taking swabs of
equipment and utensils and sending those swabs off for analysis in
laboratories.
“Getting results can take several days and by that time the product may
be in the food chain and on consumer’s tables,” says a news release from the
OMAFRA extension office in Fergus.
“Ultimately some contaminated products may be consumed before any recall
is enacted. This whole scenario is about to change” because of the new
bio-sensor, the release says.
“If this new device gets
widespread use there is huge potential “ to keep poisonous bacteria from
reaching consumers, OMAFRA says.
