Pathogen Risk Identification & Management: EPRI Testing
Microbiological risk identification and management are more than just buzzwords, they are the foundational components to your food safety program. To get started on truly managing your microbial risk, we first have to identify it. The quality of risk assessments are dependent on the tools we use to assess whether a risk is there or not. Microbiological risks are invisible to the unaided eye and as a result we rely on genetic and biochemical test methods to allow us to see whether these food safety risks are present.
TOOLS TO ASSESS PATHOGEN RISK
A common approach in food safety management has been to use indicator tests to provide a good idea regarding whether a pathogen may be present in a product or environment. Pathogens themselves are often found in lower prevalence than other larger groups of similar organisms, and thus identifying those indicator organisms can be easier than looking for the pathogen directly. Additionally, product testing and/or food contact surface testing for a pathogen itself can require holding product until results are returned; that time and space requirement can be a challenge in today’s food production systems. Common microbiological risk indicator groups are generic E. coli, Listeria species, coliforms, and Enterobacteriaceae. While generic E. coli, coliforms, and Enterobacteriaceae all have correlation with Salmonella and pathogenic E. coli being present, that correlation is not always close enough for what you are truly looking to manage (the risk of the pathogen themselves). Not to mention, results for these indicator groups can take up to 48 hours for a result. In some instances, that’s just too long to wait!
A UNIQUE PCR-BASED RAPID APPROACH
Introducing Eurofins BACGene’s Enteric Pathogen Risk Indicator (EPRI™) test; a rapid approach to risk identification and management. EPRI™ brings the best of rapid genetic testing (PCR) with the benefits of an indicator test. EPRI™ is uniquely designed to find closer correlation with Salmonella and Shiga toxigenic E. coli presence without being a conclusive pathogen test. It provides a rapid option to screen for both STEC and Salmonella in one PCR assay! EPRI™ is perfect on its own, or paired with BACGene pathogen testing (Listeria species, Listeria monocytogenes, STEC, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella), other indicator assays, and traditional cultural confirmation steps. You need to know whether a risk might be present, and our comprehensive molecular tools for foodborne risks offer an industry-leading approach to design an efficient and effective risk management program.
APPLICATIONS OF EPRI™ TESTING
- Process Verification Studies
- Root-cause Investigations
- Environmental Monitoring Programs
- Product Risk Surveillance Programs
- Environmental Risk Identification
- Supply Chain Risk Surveillance Testing
- Ingredient Screening
EPRI™ TESTING OFFERS PATHOGEN INCLUSIVITY
EPRI™ is a screening tool which is designed to detect relevant foodborne pathogens, while not being conclusive of a pathogen’s presence. EPRI™ has been validated to detect 119 different Salmonella strains as well as 50 different STECs including E. coli O157 and the Top 6 serogroups.
Download our PDF Handout for a full listing of inclusivity of each pathogen, including species, strain, reference, and origin.
Click here to download the EPRI Handout
View our webinar where presenter Joelle Mosso, discusses testing and application of the rapid screening tool for enteric pathogens Salmonella and Shiga toxigenic E. coli: EPRI
Click here to view the webinar presentation.
Click here to download a copy of the slides.
