A new technique developed by the US Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to detect heat-resistant toxins in foods such as ham, milk and eggs could help researchers and inspectors detect toxins that can cause gastroenteritis.
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Marjorie Medina, a research chemist at the ARS Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, has developed a biosensor-based method that detects chemical signals from toxin-producing bacteria and provides information about their specific biological activities.
Bacteria produce toxins under stressful conditions, such as when they are too crowded, denied food or fighting back against antibiotics. Generally, conventional heating and processing kill food-borne bacteria but do not destroy their toxins, the Agricultural Research Service said.
In addition to detecting bacteria and their toxins, Medina and other chemists at Wyndmoor are using advanced technologies to develop methods to screen, detect and confirm multiple chemical residues, such as veterinary drugs and pesticides, in food products.
ARS is the US Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific research agency.
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