1. Comparison of methods for the microbiological identification and typing of Cronobacter species in infant formula.
- Author
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Lu Y, Chen Y, Lu XA, Lv J, Man CX, Chai YL, and Jiang YJ
- Subjects
- Genotype, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Ribotyping, Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization, Bacterial Typing Techniques methods, Cronobacter classification, Cronobacter isolation & purification, Food Microbiology methods, Infant Formula
- Abstract
Cronobacter species represent an emerging opportunistic foodborne pathogen associated with meningitis and necrotizing enterocolitis in infants. Current evidence indicates that powdered infant formula (PIF) is the main source of Cronobacter contamination. A total of 75 strains of Cronobacter spp. from different geographic regions, as well as from PIF processing environments, were identified and typed with different methods, including biochemical profiling by the API 20E system (bioMérieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France), protein profiling by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), and genotypic profiling by ribotype. Analysis by MALDI-TOF MS and biochemical identification was more accurate compared with ribotype analysis. However, MALDI-TOF MS typing and ribotype analysis showed more discriminatory ability compared with biochemical phenotyping. In conclusion, MALDI-TOF MS is a rapid and reliable tool to identify Cronobacter spp. in PIF and has the potential to trace dissemination of Chronobacter along the production chain., (Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2014
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