This Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project will allow future development of prototype in-process-line systems to test in several potential food-related applications. Three major subsystems will be considered for development under Phase I using apple juice as the model food matrix and Escherichia coli 0157:H7 as the target pathogen. The first subsystem to be demonstrated will extract microbial material from a liquid solution, followed by the disruption of the collected bacteria. The second subsystem will extract DNA from the microbial lysate and present concentrated template DNA to a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system. Finally, PCR-amplified DNA will be selectively detected using previously demonstrated piezoelectric sensor technology. The proposed project deals with food borne disease that is a major cause of morbidity in the U. S. Microbial pathogens account for up to 33 million cases of foodborne illness each year and up to 9,000 deaths, resulting in substantial costs to the national economy. Traditional methods for detecting foodborne pathogens are unduly time consuming, labor intensive and in some cases not sensitive enough. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system has been developed by regulatory agencies and is being adopted by food processors. In order for microbiological testing to be useful in a HACCP setting, real-time in-process-line techniques must be developed. The testing and food-related uses for this technology are in liquid food applications, fruit juice processing, poultry and meat processing, minimally processed vegetable products, EPA drinking water testing, and biochemical warfare detection.
