Overview of Portable Assays for the Detection of Mycotoxins, Allergens, and Sanitation Monitoring.

Background: Many food recalls are related to the presence of undeclared allergens and microorganisms in food products. To reduce these occurrences, portable diagnostic assay kits are available to quantitate mycotoxins, to detect allergens and gluten in foods and on environmental surfaces, and for sanitation monitoring.

Objective: This article reviews diagnostic kits that can detect sources of contamination in food and ingredients as well as on surfaces and clean-in-place rinses.

Validation of the AccuPoint Advanced ATP Hygiene Monitoring System for Sanitation Monitoring Through Detection of ATP from Stainless Steel Surfaces.

The AccuPoint Advanced ATP Hygeine Monitoring System was validated by an AOAC International Performance Tested MethodSM on the detection of ATP from stainless steel surfaces. Neogen Corp.'s system is a lightweight, hand-held diagnostic tool used to validate and verify a hygiene program's effectiveness by detecting organic residues remaining on surfaces and in liquids after cleaning.

Validation of the Soleris NF-TVC method for determination of total viable count in a variety of foods.

A study was conducted to determine the efficacy of the Soleris Non-fermenting-Total Viable Count (NF-TVC) automated growth-based method for semiquantitative detection of mesophilic, aerobic microorganisms in a variety of food products. A probability of detection (POD) statistical model was used to compare Soleris results at multiple test thresholds (dilutions) with aerobic plate counts determined using reference dilution plating procedures. Nine naturally contaminated food products were tested, with Soleris testing performed at three or four threshold levels for each food.