** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SALMONELLA IS A BACTERIAL PATHOGEN THAT CAUSES >1.4 MILLION CASES OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS EVERY YEAR IN THE US, MAKING IT THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH DUE TO A FOODBORNE ILLNESS IN THE US. THE USDA RECENTLY PROPOSED LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MAKE SALMONELLA PRESENT IN NOT-READY-TO-EAT STUFFED BREADED CHICKEN PRODUCTS AN ADULTERANT. CURRENT RAPID DETECTION METHODS REQUIRE LAB PERSONNEL TO INCUBATE THE FOOD PRODUCT TO ALLOW GROWTH OF THE TARGET PATHOGEN TO HIGHER LEVELS SO THAT IT CAN BE MORE EASILY DETECTED. ONE OF THE MAJOR CHALLENGES WITH THESE RAPID METHODS, IS THAT THIS INCUBATION TAKES 18-24 HOURS. WE PROPOSE USING A NOVEL DOUBLE-STAGE FILTER TO RAPIDLY FILTER OUT AND COLLECT BACTERIA FROM A FOOD, THEREBY NEGATING THE NEED FOR AN ENRICHMENT INCUBATION STEP. TO ACHIEVE THIS, WE WILL ENGINEER A STIRRED CELL DEVICE TO BE ANTI-FOULING TO ENABLE IT TO REPEL FOOD PARTICLES; IN STAGE TWO, WE WILL PASS THE LIQUID FOOD THROUGH A MEMBRANE THAT HAS PORES THAT CAN COLLECT THE TARGET BACTERIA, FOLLOWED BY DIRECT EXTRACTION OF DNA FROM BACTERIAL CELLS COLLECTED BY THE MEMBRANE. OVERALL, THIS WILL ALLOW FOOD MANUFACTURERS TO MORE RAPIDLY AND ACCURATELY SCREEN THEIR FOOD PRODUCTS FOR THE PRESENCE OF FOODBORNE PATHOGENS, SUCH AS SALMONELLA TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THEIR FOOD PRODUCT.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University

Investigators