Rapid Detection of Salmonellae in Foods Using Immunoassay Systems

A standard cultural method, radioimmunometric (RIMA) and enzyme immunometric (EIMA) assays were compared for detection of salmonellae in 235 food samples. The immunoassays used titanous hydroxide as the solid-phase, commercial Spicer-Edwards salmonella polyvalent H antisera (SEA) or pooled antisera produced against 10 salmonella flagellins (PFA). Nineteen food samples were positive for Salmonella by the standard cultural method. These as well as one additional sample were also positive for Salmonella by RIMA and EIMA. No false-negative results were obtained from the immunoassays using PFA, whereas two false-negative results were observed when SEA was used. The incidence of false-positive results when SEA and PFA were used were, respectively, 3.0 and 0.9% with RIMA and 2.6 and 0.9% with EIMA. The immunoassays were also able to detect 77 Salmonella serotypes when grown alone or in association with other species of Enterobacteriaceae , in mannitol selenite cystine broth. Both immunoassays performed reliably on enrichment cultures stored under refrigeration for up to 9 d. Also, of 6 non-motile salmonellae, 5 were detectable by the immunoassays. The immunoassays were simple, rapid and cost-efficient.