Biosensors for Foodborne Pathogen Detection

The pathogen diagnostic market is a rapidly growing area with an estimated value of over US$4 billion annually. Current research into pathogen diagnostics has focused on developing rapid methods that can ideally be applied outside the laboratory environment. The following will provide an overview of recent advances in foodborne pathogen detection. Unlike medical diagnostics, pathogen or indicator screening in foods requires sensitive devices that can detect targets present at levels in the region of 1 cfu per 25 ml or g in the presence of other microflora and potential interferents. Therefore, advances in the area of on-site diagnostics have focused on sample preparation technologies that can concentrate target pathogen with minimal or no culture step. Diagnostics research major focus is in developing miniaturized detection platforms based on a range of transduction techniques (electrochemical, optical, and physical). An overview of examples for each transduction format will be provided along with advantages and disadvantages. Future trends in the pathogen diagnostic area will likely be in developing lab-on-a-chip-based sensors that have an integrated concentration step followed by detection that can be used outside the laboratory environment.