An official website of the United States government.
The demands from consumers for fresh, less processed food has increased the need to ensure microbial safety of these products. This project provides the opportunity for a multi-disciplinary effort to create specific biosensors for rapid andearly detection of pathogen contamination.
These devices have the potential for specifically selecting food pathogens fromamong the total microbial load within minutes and measuring the concentration as real-time analysis on site. The goal ofthis project is to develop new prototype biosensor devices that will consist of either a fiber optic fluorometer and magneticfocusing system or a new evanescent thin-film wave guide for the transducers. One advance will be the creation of an immunosensing element which consists of unique new complexes of antibodies attached to solvatochromic fluorescent dyes. This new dye/antibody complex will be designed to detect cell attachment directly when immobilized on magnetic microspheres or thin-film wave guides. The coupling of direct measurement antibodies with laser excitation will provide the basis for rapid one-step, sensitive, and easy-to-use biosensors for detection of food pathogens. The ability for rapid early detection of Salmonella will enhance the safety and quality of U.S. food products.