A food producer's main priority is to ensure that the products they manufacture are safe for consumption. This requires a knowledge of the risk of contamination, ongoing environmental monitoring, confirming equipment cleaning, and, where needed, product testing. The monitoring of identified food pathogens of risk allows for an early warning sign of food contamination.
Listeria and Salmonella are two of the leading causes of foodborne diseases. These bacteria can be carried unnoticed in animals and can also be present in water, soil and animal manure. Food samples can become infected with Listeria or Salmonella when they come into contact with contaminated water, soil or animal manure along the production line.
In most cases, one can't tell that food has been contaminated with Listeria or Salmonella, as the food has no abnormal taste or smell. Eating food infected with Listeria or Salmonella can lead to food poisoning and serious illnesses. Sending contaminated food to retail impacts consumers' health and can gravely affect the brand's reputation. It is, therefore, essential to test food products before they reach the retail shelves to prevent consequences such as sample recall. It is also vital to ensure that the facilities used to produce food products are sanitary and free of Listeria and Salmonella so that the spread can be prevented early in production, saving valuable time and resources. As Listeria and Salmonella are invisible to the naked eye, tests are needed to detect the presence of their DNA in samples.
Scicorp laboratories use AFNOR-certified testing kits that have been specifically designed for fast and reliable detection of Listeria and Salmonella DNA. Listeria detection kit can detect the presence of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes DNA in human food and environmental samples. Salmonella detection kit can detect the presence of Salmonella spp. DNA in food, feed and environmental samples.
Results for these tests can be ready within 24 hours, compared to the traditional methods, which can take 2-3 days. The rapid tests SciCorp offers allow the food safety team to respond quickly to an unwelcome positive test result.
SciCorp is registered with DALRRD (Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development) and holds SANAS ISO 17025 accreditation for GMO, microbiological, and molecular testing in food, feed, and seed methods. Our testing portfolio spans ISTA-accredited physical seed testing, molecular plant breeding support, authenticity verification, GMO detection, and comprehensive chemical and food safety analyses. Additionally, SciCorp offers a range of products for clients' in-house testing needs, including the Path-Chek® line for food pathogens, lateral flow sticks for allergens and mycotoxins, ELISA and LFS kits for GMO testing, and Anchor germination paper for seed testing.
