Efficient and Specific Detection ofSalmonellain Food Samples Using astn-Based Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method
TheSalmonellaenterotoxin (stn) gene exhibits high homology amongS. entericaserovars andS. bongori. A set of 6 specific primers targeting thestngene were designed for detection ofSalmonellaspp. using the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method. The primers amplified target sequences in all 102 strains of 87 serovars ofSalmonellatested and no products were detected in 57 non-Salmonellastrains. The detection limit in pure cultures was 5 fg DNA/reaction when amplified at 65°C for 25 min. The LAMP assay could detectSalmonellain artificially contaminated food samples as low as 220 cells/g of food without a preenrichment step. However, the sensitivity was increased 100-fold (~2 cells/g) following 5 hr preenrichment at 35°C. The LAMP technique, with a preenrichment step for 5 and 16 hr, was shown to give 100% specificity with food samples compared to the reference culture method in which 67 out of 90 food samples gave positive results. Different food matrixes did not interfere with LAMP detection which employed a simple boiling method for DNA template preparation. The results indicate that the LAMP method, targeting thestngene, has great potential for detection ofSalmonellain food samples with both high specificity and high sensitivity.