Duplex real-time PCR assay with high-resolution melt analysis for the detection and quantification of species and in meat products.

Unlabelled: contamination in foods of animal origin is one of the most concerning food safety issues. A duplex, SYBR green-based, real-time PCR assay was developed with high-resolution melting analysis-based differentiation of the genus and . The primers were designed and tested against other related foodborne pathogens. The assay was optimized for standard parameters in a non-orthogonal fashion and validated following international standards. The LOD and LOQ of the assay were calculated to be 0.78 and 1.56 ng of the target DNA. The LOD of the assay was found to be 1% DNA in background DNA. The assay was evaluated for applicability in artificially spiked samples, providing a 120 CFU/ml detection. The assay was validated with proficiency test samples and also with samples collected for surveillance analysis. This well-established and validated assay can be utilized as a qualitative and quantitative tool for addressing the contamination in the food safety contexts.

Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05695-2.