Food Microbiology

Food analyses by CONGEN

// screening & identification of microorganisms by real-time PCR

// evidence for water analysis

test kitsquality

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 Foodmagnetic bead-based extractionF1060
SureFast® Mag PREP Pathogensmagnetic bead-based extractionF1062
SureFast® PREP AquaF1023
SureFast® PREP BacteriaF1021
SureFast® PREP DNA/RNA VirusF1051
SureFast® PREP Salmonella AOACF1007
SureFast® Speed PREPfast and easy extraction from enrichment culturesF1054
Microbiological Detections incl. Extraction
SureFast® Listeria 3plex ONEF5217
SureFast® Salmonella ONE AOACF5211
SureFast® STEC 4plex ONE detection & differentiation of E. coli stx, eae and O157 F5265
Qualitative Bacterial Detections
SureFast® Bacillus cereus group PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5126
SureFast® Campylobacter 4plex detection & differentiation of C. coli, C. lari and C. jejuniiF5170
SureFast® Clostridium botulinum Screening PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5110
SureFast® Clostridium esthertheticum PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5160
SureFast® Clostridium perfringens PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5123
SureFast® Cronobacter PLUS PLUS = internal controlF5114
SureFast® Cronobacter sakazakii PLUS PLUS = internal controlF5115
SureFast® EHEC/EPEC 4plexdetection & differentiation of virulence genes stx1/stx2/eae/ipaHF5128
SureFast® Emetic Bacillus cereus PLUS PLUS = internal controlF5127
SureFast® Enterobacteriaceae detection & differentiation of Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella and CronobacterF5180
SureFast® Enterobacteriaceae Screening PLUS PLUS = internal controlF5507
SureFast® Escherichia coli PLUS PLUS = internal controlF5157
SureFast® Escherichia coli Serotyp I 4plexdetection & differentiation of O26/O103/O121 serotypesF5167
SureFast® Escherichia coli Serotyp II 4plexdetection & differentiation of O45/O111/O145 serotypesF5168
SureFast® Foodborne Pathogens 4plexdetection & differentiation of Salmonella, L. monocytogenes, E.coli virulence genes stx1/2/2fF5175
SureFast® Listeria monocytogenes PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5113
SureFast® Listeria Screening PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5117
SureFast® MRSA PLUSPLUS = internal controlF7117
SureFast® Salmonella PLUSAOACF5111
SureFast® Salmonella Species/ Enteritidis/Typhimurium PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5166
SureFast® Staphylococcus aureus PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5116
SureFast® STEC Screening PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5105
SureFast® Yersinia 3plexdetection & differentiation of Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosisF5132
Qualitative Virus Detections
SureFast® Hepatitis A PLUSPLUS = internal controlF7125
SureFast® Hepatitis E PLUSPLUS = internal controlF7142
SureFast® Influenza A H5/H7/H9 4plexdetection & differentiationF7139
SureFast® Norovirus PLUSdetection & differentiationF7001
SureFast® Norovirus/Hepatitis A 3plexdetection & differentiationF7124
SureFast® SARS-CoV-2 PLUSAOAC PLUS = internal controlF7110
Water Analysis
SureFast® Clostridium perfringens PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5123
SureFast® Enterobacteriaceae Screening PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5507
SureFast® Escherichia coli PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5157
SureFast® Legionella 3plexdetection & differentiation of Legionella spp and Legionella pneumophilaF5505
SureFast® Legionella pneumophila PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5501
SureFast® Legionella Screen PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5502
SureFast® Parasitic Water Panel 4plexPLUS = internal controlF5506
SureFast® Pseudomonas aeruginosa PLUSPLUS = internal controlF5503
SureFast® Vibrio 4plexdetection & differentiation of Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificusF5161
Control Sets
SureCycle® System Verification/ cycler verificationF4001
SureFast® Master Probe F4006-2
SureFast® Master Probe PLUSF4007-2
SureCC Color Compensation Kit IF4009

​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.

Dear customers,
From 2024, it will be possible to provide applicable product documentation, such as

  • user manual
  • MSDS
  • QAC and
  • transport certificate

 

directly and LOT-related as a file. Please use the following button to get direct access to the desired documents.