ULTRASENSITIVE METHOD FOR FOOD QUALITY TESTING

描述：我们建议开发一个集成的诊断系统 提供超灵敏、低成本和快速的食品质量 诊断这一新的方法最初将作为测试实施 致病性大肠杆菌的污染。杆菌 我们将应用多 光子检测（MPD）技术用于食品诊断， 建立了快速、灵敏的MPD增强定量PCR， 超快速和非常灵敏的MPD增强直接检测（即，不表示 食品污染物的DNA检测;以及 通过比较MPD增强的测定与 常规微生物诊断方法。 主要目标是 开发方法，将MPD的上级灵敏度转化为 食品检测的速度和可靠性。 这些新方法是通用的 并可用于所有重要的食品污染物。 超灵敏 MPD已经被用于定量亚zeptomole量（小于 10-21 M）的生物大分子，如DNA，RNA和蛋白质。 我们的原型MPD成像仪已经能够开发超灵敏的 使用免疫技术和DNA探针进行测试。 为例 开发了一种快速的诊断方法， 在几毫升的样本中有几个DNA拷贝。 拟定商业应用： 如果成功的话，这个项目将导致一个良好的发展。 质量诊断系统，提供快速，高灵敏度， 主要食源性病原体的经济测试，该系统将 设计用于食品加工厂环境， 能够检测到哪怕是一个致病菌 在六小时内检测出食物样本中的微生物这种独特的能力 将使BioTraces食品病原体系统能够捕获大量 市场份额的食品传播的病原体， 现在每年的检测总数超过2500万次，并以两位数的速度增长 rates.

DESCRIPTION: We propose to develop an integrated diagnostics system that provides ultrasensitive, low cost and very rapid food quality diagnostics. This new methodology will be implemented initially as tests for contamination by pathogenic strains of E. coli. We will apply Multi Photon Detection (MPD) technology to food diagnostics to accomplish the following: A fast and very sensitive MPD enhanced quantitative PCR; An ultra fast and very sensitive MPD enhanced direct detection (i.e., non- amplification based) DNA assay for food contaminants; and Validation of this new methodology by comparison of MPD enhanced assays with conventional microbiological diagnostic methods. The main goal is to develop methodologies that translate the superior sensitivity of MPD into speed and reliability of food tests. These new methods are generic and can be used for all important food contaminants. Ultra-sensitive MPD already has been used to quantitate sub-zeptomole amounts (less than 10-21 M) of biological macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins. Our prototype MPD Imager has enabled the development of super-sensitive tests using both immuno techniques and DNA probes. As an example, we developed a rapid diagnostic assay that permits reliable quantitation of a few copies of DNA in a few milliliters of sample. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: If successful, this project will lead to the development of a good quality diagnostics system which provides rapid, high sensitivity and economical testing for major food borne pathogens, This system will be designed to operate in a food processing plant environment and will offer the ability to detect as little as a single viable pathogenic organism in a food sample in less that six hours. This unique capability will enable the BioTraces food pathogen system to capture a significant share of the market for in-plant testing for food borne pathogens, which now totals over 25 million tests per year with double digit growth rates.