Validation of DNA and RNA real-time assays for food analysis using the hilA gene of Salmonella enterica serovars.

In Europe, alternative methods for the detection of food-borne pathogens can be used instead of the standard ISO/CEN reference protocol, if validated according to the protocol outlined in ISO 16140, 2003. In this study, the performance of two novel methods for the detection of Salmonella sp. using real-time PCR technology in tandem with an adapted two-step enrichment protocol were assessed and validated against a reference culture method, ISO 6579, 2004. The DNA and RNA real-time PCR assays amplified a 270 bp region of the hilA gene of Salmonella enterica serovars, and incorporated an internal amplification control (IAC) which was co-amplified with the hilA gene to monitor potential PCR inhibitors and ensure successful amplification. The inclusivity and exclusivity of the hilA primer set was examined for both the DNA and RNA methods and detected the 30 S. enterica serovars but not the 30 non-salmonellae strains. The inoculation of meat carcass swabs with five different S. enterica serovars at five different inocula, indicated both PCR methods were able to detect between 1 and 10 CFU per carcass swab. The real-time DNA PCR assay performed as well as the traditional cultural method in detecting Salmonella sp. in artificially contaminated salad, chocolate, fish and cheese samples. The relative accuracy, relative sensitivity and relative specificity of the DNA PCR real-time method were determined to be 98.5, 98.1 and 100%, respectively. The DNA method was further validated in a collaborative inter-laboratory trial according to ISO 16140, 2003. The validated methods provide an accurate means for the rapid detection and tracking of S. enterica serovars giving equivalent results to the standard method within three days, thus providing an alternative testing method to the reference microbiological method. The real-time PCR methodology not only offers significant time-saving advantages compared to traditional methods, it can also be applied to a wide range of samples types.

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