Enhancing the Capacity and Capability of Human Food and Environmental Testing Laboratory at the Texas Department of State Health Services: Special Projects Method Development and Method Validation

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Project Summary: Discipline D Special Projects Track 3- Method Development/Validation, Multi-laboratory Validation of a qPCR Screening Method for Salmonella in Foods The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Laboratory Services Section (LSS) has been a member of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) and the Genome Trakr Network and a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Laboratory Response Network (LRN), PulseNet, and CaliciNet. LSS is also ISO/IEC 17025 accredited for ten food tests that cover Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter, and the Big “6” non-O157 STEC species, receiving and analyzing approximately 2,500 food samples per year. As a part of an integrated food safety system, the LSS is committed to facilitating and improving food testing surveillance, inspection, and investigation in the State of Texas. The goal of this project is to participate in preliminary, short-term, or exploratory multi-laboratory validation (MLV) studies that focus on testing the feasibility of the FDA qPCR Screening Method for identifying Salmonella in foods. The LSS Advanced Molecular Microbiology group (AMMG) will follow the most up-to-date FDA protocols and processes as specified by the FDA. With two ABI 7500 Fast Real-Time PCR systems, the AMMG can test up to 1000 Salmonella food and environmental samples per year in addition to all routine and maintenance activities and does not expect any issues in performance capacity to participate in the MLV studies. With the funds provided from this grant, LSS will purchase supplies needed to participate in the MLV studies, train staff, perform the studies, participate in meetings and activities related to the studies, and maintain facilities and personnel necessary to complete the work proposed. Funding provided by this cooperative agreement will serve to strengthen our states commitment to a safe food supply and improve the ability of DSHS to respond to a large-scale threat to the nation's food supply.