Evaluation of the VIDAS Methodology for Detection of Escherichia coli O157 in Food Samples

Abstract

An automated enzyme-linked fluorescence immunoassay (ELFA), the VIDAS E. coli O157 method, was compared with immunomagnetic separation (IMS) followed by culture on cefixime tellurite sorbitol MacConkey agar (CT-SMAC) for detecting Escherichia coli O157 in artificially and naturally contaminated food samples including raw milk cheeses, poultry, raw sausages, and ground beef retail samples. Confirmation of the samples positive according to the ELFA was performed by use of an automated immunoconcentration system, VIDAS ICE, which allows selective capture and release of target organisms. A total of 496 retail food samples were examined. Seventeen food samples gave positive values with the ELFA method, and among them 9 food samples were confirmed by the ICE method. Eight were shown to contain sorbitol-positive, O157-positive, H7-negative, motile, non-verotoxin-producing E. coli. The ninth positive sample contained an O157-positive, H7-negative, sorbitol-negative, non-verotoxin-producing E. coli. The IMS technique only allowed confirmation of this sorbitol-negative, non-verotoxin-producing E. coli O157.