Evaluation of the Salmonellae Fluoro-Kit for Fluorescent-Antibody Staining

Abstract

An evaluation of the newly developed Clinical Sciences, Inc. Salmonellae Fluoro-Kit, which attempts to standardize the various aspects of the fluorescent-antibody (FA) procedure, was performed with 120 naturally contaminated human food, animal feed, and raw material samples. The Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) method for the detection of salmonellae was used as the control method. The Fluoro-Kit was found to be simple and conveniento to use. The results of this preliminary study show an industrially acceptable rate of recovery of salmonellae by using the Fluoro-Kit in comparison with the A.O.A.C. method. The Fluoro-Kit shows promise as a rapid, salmonellae FA screening method. Problems originally encountered in the application of the Fluoro-Kit are discussed. According to the manufacturer, strict adherence to the now revised procedures included in the Fluoro-Kit will control these problems.