VOLUME 11 (Supplement)

by Christine Aubrey C. Justo^1,2, Maria Reynalen F. Mapile¹, Pauline Dianne M. Santos^1,2, and Windell L. Rivera^1,2,*

¹Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman,
     Quezon City 1101, Philippines
²Pathogen-Host-Environment Interactions Research Laboratory,
     Natural Sciences Research Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman,
     Quezon City 1101, Philippines

Determination of the minimum enrichment period and most suitable detection assay for Salmonella in meat is essential in food safety and prevention of S. enterica-related outbreaks. Using artificially inoculated raw and processed meat products, the optimal pre-enrichment period for culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays to detect Salmonella in meat was evaluated. Optimal pre-enrichment period is herein defined as the shortest period of incubation to reliably detect the target organism. The three detection assays were conducted in a time-point manner, specifically the first six hours and 24^th hour of pre-enrichment and the 48th hour of selective enrichment phase. LAMP assay had an optimal pre-enrichment period of 24 hours, i.e. 100% detection, on beef, chicken, pork, and bacon. Alternatively, the PCR assay had an optimal enrichment period of 48 hours covering the complete pre-enrichment and selective enrichment phases. The culture assay failed to achieve 100% detection, even after a 24-hour incubation or end of pre-enrichment period but had a higher tolerance to inhibitory substances than PCR. Of the three detection assays evaluated, LAMP assay had the shortest optimal enrichment period, highest sensitivity to Salmonella in meat products, and highest tolerance to inhibitory substances.