Parallel Analysis of 7 Food-borne Pathogens Using Capillary Electrophoresis-based Single-strand Conformation Polymorphism

Abstract

Capillary electrophoresis-based single-strand conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) coupled with multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used for the detection of 7 pathogens associated with food-borne illness, including Salmonella enterica, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Escherichia coli O157:H7. The method was applied to model food systems, both of culture medium and cooked rice. The detection limit of individual microbes was in the range of 10(1)-10(3) CFU/g, and that of the mixture of 7 microbes was 10(3) CFU/g in the cooked rice sample. This method allowed the detection and identification of all 7 food-borne pathogens within 5 hr without the requirement for enrichment steps.