Abstract

YANEZ, Edna; MATTAR, Salim  and  DURANGO, Alba. Detection of Salmonella spp. by real time PCR and standard methods in cattle carcasses and public fast food outlets in Montería, Córdoba. Infect. [online]. 2008, vol.12, n.4, pp.246-253. ISSN 0123-9392.

Objective: To establish Salmonella spp. by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and standard microbiological method in public fastfood outlets and cattle carcasses from a profit animal plant (PBA-slaughterhouse) certified with the HACCP system in the city of Montería. Materials and methods: 311 food samples were analyzed: 256 from public fastfood outlets and 55 from a PBA (slaughterhouse). The microbiological tests were conducted by the standard method, the molecular detection RTPCR was carried out by LightCycler® foodproof Salmonella detection kit (Roche Diagnostics). Results: Salmonella spp. was isolated in 16.1% of the samples. The χ2 test showed statistical significance between techniques (p<0.001), with RT-PCR was obtained by 68% of positive cases and 48% with the conventional method. The fastfood sold in public streets had higher contamination by Salmonella spp. SausageS had Salmonella in 28.1% of the samples by RT-PCR and 12.3% by the conventional method; cheese, 18.4% by RT-PCR, and 5.3% by the conventional method: pork meat, 23.1% by RT-PCR, and 15.4% by the conventional method, and ground meat, 9.3% by RT-PCR, and 15.6% by the conventional method. Cattle carcasses showed a 1.8% of Salmonella spp., a significant difference was observed with respect to spent time for each technique, RT-PCR yielded results within 24 hours as compared to four days for the conventional method. Conclusions: The study showed that RTPCR is a valuable alternative to determine Salmonella spp. in foods for their specificity and promptness, furthermore, the high presence of Salmonella in public fastfood outlets is a public health problem for consumers.

Keywords : Salmonella; food; real time PCR (RT- PCR); meats; HACCP.

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