Polymeric Amplification for Rapid L. Monocytogenes Detection

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Current state-of-the-art inspection procedures for ready-to-eat food is time-intensive, requiring processors to delay distribution and maintain extra storage facilities or to distribute the food and face the risk of an expensive recall and associated damage to the company's reputation. Productization of the successful prototype detection system will be particularly beneficial to food inspectors and will directly benefit ready-to-eat food processors by allowing detection of Listeria without disrupting efficient food processing, so as to reduce the likelihood of a recall. Subsequent models will be adapted to detect other pathogens, such as Salmonella and E. coli. The proposed technology will be widely applicable to biosensing in the areas of biological warfare, homeland security/agri-terrorism, food-safety and medical diagnostics.