|  Sensitive
to Listeria monocytogenes?
So is bioMérieux’s VIDAS®
LMO2
In the field of food safety, the Listeria genus, and
in particular, Listeria monocytogenes, are always under
close surveillance and regularly make headline news. Recently,
an outbreak of Listeria infections in the northeastern
U.S. linked to contaminated food resulted in 13 deaths and numerous
illnesses, as well as several highly publicized recalls have placed
this pathogen back in the media spotlight.
| The severity of the increased incidence
in several states—Pennsylvania, for example, has had
25 cases of listeriosis in a two-month period compared to
a typical rate of 24 cases in a year—prompted the
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection
Service (USDA FSIS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) in September to issue a joint announcement advising
consumers in identified at-risk populations to avoid certain
foods associated with Listeria contamination. Several
Listeria-related recalls are underway, constituting
thousands of pounds of product ranging from ready-to-eat
sausage, ham and beef products, to chicken salad and egg
rolls.
To help food companies ensure the safety and quality of
product and avoid such costly recall scenarios, bioMérieux®
INDUSTRY, the worldwide leader in automated solutions for
rapid pathogen detection, has developed a high-performance,
next-generation detection kit for the screening and detection
of Listeria monocytogenes, based on its world-recognized
rapid VIDAS technology. |
|
The VIDAS LMO2 enrichment protocol utilizes state-of-the-art
ELFA technology, featuring a new combination of complementary
monoclonal antibodies with a specific treatment on the antibody
fragment. The monoclonal antibodies are directed to different
antigenic sites of a specific Listeria monocytogenes
virulence protein, which optimizes the capture and detection,
followed by a treatment to remove the sticky Fc fragment of the
antibody enzyme conjugate, significantly enhancing kit performance.
Removel of this fragment reduces possible interference with food
matrices and nonspecific binding of other bacteria that have the
potential to generate false signals, resulting in better specificity.
The release of two smaller Fab1 fragments optimizes the positioning
of the antibody and favors the recognition of the antigen, resulting
in better sensitivity.
Measured against the ISO 11290-1 reference standard, the AFNOR-validated
VIDAS LMO2 (AFNOR BIO-12/9-07/02) achieved a 100% level of sensitivity
as compared with the reference method’s 100% in food samples.
The AOAC validations are in progress. For VIDAS users, the LMO2
will significantly improve laboratory productivity, since all
food types can be tested using just one protocol. For food safety
professionals, the LMO2 offers the ability to more accurately
assess Listeria contamination risks and to make more
rapid decisions—before the product leaves the manufacturing
site.
Learn more about VIDAS Assays for Food or Water
Testing.
VIDAS LMO2 Printable Brochure
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