Food Microbiology
The German Food and Feed Code (Lebensmittel- und Futtermittelgesetzbuch, LFGB) describes legal inspections and guideline values within the framework of food microbiology. The focus is on health protection because microorganisms are the most common cause of food-related illnesses. Microorganisms are microscopic organisms consisting of a single or few cells. Bacteria, fungi and yeasts are some of the types of microorganisms. Viruses are also categorised as microorganisms due to their small size.
Microorganisms can be found everywhere in nature. They are found in soil, water, air and in or on other organisms. If the number of certain microorganisms in food exceeds a specific limit per gram of food, this can endanger consumers’ health. The legislator therefore prescribes a zero tolerance in 25 g food for many pathogenic agents (e.g. salmonella).
Pathogens can be found in animal and plant products. Lack of hygiene, errors in preparation (e.g. insufficient heating) are some of the reasons why food or feed can be contaminated with undesirable microorganisms. The majority of human pathogens are so-called ‘zoonotic pathogens’, which means that they can be transmitted reciprocally from animals to humans and vice versa. Salmonella and Campylobacter are the most important representatives of such pathogens detectable in food. In addition to the microbiological analysis of food, the detection of microorganisms, e.g., from surface swabs in food production, is used for cleaning monitoring.
Analytically, direct detection of the species/ or species group or indirect detection of bacterial toxins is possible.
SureFast® detection methods offer a wide range of test kits in the field of food microbiology in the form of time-saving multiplex tests, screening methods or single detections. The real-time PCR methods are validated for a wide range of food matrices from drinking water to feed and processed food products. CONGEN offers additional automation solutions for medium and high sample throughput in microbiological analysis.
The basis for sensitive detection is purified nucleic acid extracts. These can be obtained via automated extraction or column purification. For this purpose, CONGEN offers a selection of suitable and validated extraction kits.
Available test kits
Nucleic Acid Extraction
SureFast® Mag PREP Food | magnetic bead-based extraction | F1060 |
SureFast® Mag PREP Pathogens | magnetic bead-based extraction | F1062 |
SureFast® PREP Aqua | F1023 | |
SureFast® PREP Bacteria | F1021 | |
SureFast® PREP DNA/RNA Virus | F1051 | |
SureFast® PREP Salmonella | AOAC | F1007 |
SureFast® Speed PREP | fast and easy extraction from enrichment cultures | F1054 |
Microbiological Detections incl. Extraction
Qualitative Bacterial Detections
SureFast® Bacillus cereus group PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5126 |
SureFast® Campylobacter 4plex | detection & differentiation of C. coli, C. lari and C. jejunii | F5170 |
SureFast® Campylobacter PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5112 |
SureFast® Clostridium botulinum Screening PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5110 |
SureFast® Clostridium esthertheticum PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5160 |
SureFast® Clostridium perfringens PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5123 |
SureFast® Cronobacter PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5114 |
SureFast® Cronobacter sakazakii PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5115 |
SureFast® EHEC/EPEC 4plex | detection & differentiation of virulence genes stx1/stx2/eae/ipaH | F5128 |
SureFast® Emetic Bacillus cereus PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5127 |
SureFast® Enterobacteriaceae Screening PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5507 |
SureFast® Escherichia coli PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5157 |
SureFast® Escherichia coli Serotyp I 4plex | detection & differentiation of O26/O103/O121 serotypes | F5167 |
SureFast® Escherichia coli Serotyp II 4plex | detection & differentiation of O45/O111/O145 serotypes | F5168 |
SureFast® Foodborne Pathogens 4plex | detection & differentiation of Salmonella, L. monocytogenes, E.coli virulence genes stx1/2/2f | F5175 |
SureFast® Listeria monocytogenes PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5113 |
SureFast® Listeria Screening PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5117 |
SureFast® MRSA PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F7117 |
SureFast® Salmonella PLUS | AOAC | F5111 |
SureFast® Salmonella Species/ Enteritidis/Typhimurium PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5166 |
SureFast® Staphylococcus aureus PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5116 |
SureFast® STEC Screening PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5105 |
SureFast® Yersinia 3plex | detection & differentiation of Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis | F5132 |
Qualitative Virus Detections
SureFast® Hepatitis A PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F7125 |
SureFast® Hepatitis E PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F7142 |
SureFast® Influenza A H5/H7/H9 4plex | detection & differentiation | F7139 |
SureFast® Norovirus PLUS | detection & differentiation | F7001 |
SureFast® Norovirus/Hepatitis A 3plex | detection & differentiation | F7124 |
SureFast® SARS-CoV-2 PLUS | AOAC PLUS = internal control | F7110 |
Water Analysis
SureFast® Clostridium perfringens PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5123 |
SureFast® Enterobacteriaceae Screening PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5507 |
SureFast® Escherichia coli PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5157 |
SureFast® Legionella 3plex | detection & differentiation of Legionella spp and Legionella pneumophila | F5505 |
SureFast® Legionella pneumophila PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5501 |
SureFast® Legionella Screen PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5502 |
SureFast® Parasitic Water Panel 4plex | PLUS = internal control | F5506 |
SureFast® Pseudomonas aeruginosa PLUS | PLUS = internal control | F5503 |
SureFast® Vibrio 4plex | detection & differentiation of Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus | F5161 |
Do you have questions about test kits?
Are you interested in further information on one or more of the developed detection kits? Or would you like to order selected kits?
Please do not hesitate to contact us. We are happy to help and look forward to hearing from you.