InviScreen® Salmonella spp. Detection Kit from Invitek certified by AOAC for Salmonella spp. detection in food products

Raw milk, raw ground beef, raw ground turkey, cut cantaloupe, pasteurized liquid eggs – these are among the foods most likely to be contaminated by Salmonella bacteria, which can lead to disease affecting the intestinal tract, potentially causing illness and even life-threatening complications if the infection spreads beyond the intestines. These are also some of the matrices used by the AOAC Research Institute to evaluate and certify the InviScreen^® Salmonella spp. Detection Kit from Invitek Diagnostics through AOAC’s Performance Tested Methods^SM (PTM) program for the detection of Salmonella species in food samples.

Traditional Salmonella spp. testing methods are time-consuming and labor-intensive, which can delay turnaround time and potentially impact public health. That’s why scientists at Invitek Diagnostics have developed the innovative InviScreen^® kit method, revolutionizing laboratory Salmonella spp. detection by enabling highly accurate results in less than 10 hours, helping ensure food safety while reducing lab costs and labor. By significantly reducing the time required to detect Salmonella spp. without sacrificing sensitivity or accuracy, this new rapid microbiology method, based on real-time PCR technology, accelerates and improves decision-making for responses to incidences of potential contamination.

Having received AOAC’s trusted PTM certification, the InviScreen^® method has been shown to meet rigorous standards for accuracy and reliability, offering a high level of confidence in test results, and is now available for use by labs testing food products for Salmonella spp. around the world.

The InviScreen® method:

• Requires only a single enrichment step – one standardized enrichment step simplifies workflows and reduces the time needed for sample preparation.
• Provides fast DNA extraction – with the kit’s provided fast lysis buffer, labs can have PCR-ready DNA in under 20 minutes, further reducing sample preparation time.
• Offers rapid protocols – the only fully-validated kit in the market with AOAC PTM approval that can detect Salmonella spp. in raw milk, dairy products and poultry with an 8-hour enrichment.
• Enables a low detection limit – the ability to detect as low as 1 CFU/25 g helps ensure that even minimal contamination is identified, enhancing the sensitivity and reliability of the test.

How it works

The InviScreen^® method provides general laboratory and research personnel with a quick, ready-to-use kit for the detection of Salmonella spp. in raw milk, raw ground beef, raw ground turkey, cut cantaloupe, and pasteurized liquid eggs, taking less than 10 hours in totalfor most matrices.

This method uses the real-time PCR technique to detect the presence of Salmonella spp. DNA in food products intended for human consumption. The assay utilizes a fast extraction method and is based on the amplification of specific DNA using hydrolysis probes. The kit allows simultaneous amplification of the target DNA and an internal amplification control to exclude false negative results due to PCR inhibition. This duplex detection system helps maximize amplification accuracy and simplify reaction setup.

The importance of PTM certification

The InviScreen^® Salmonella Detection method was recently evaluated and certified by the AOAC Research Institute’s PTM program and assigned PTM Certification No. 102401. The PTM program was developed more than 30 years ago, providing independent third-party review and certification for proprietary test method performance. The PTM certification mark assures users that an independent assessment found that test method performance meets an appropriate standard for its intended use. The PTM program has played a crucial role in emerging health concerns by providing a widely accepted certification in a fast-to-market context.

"Achieving AOAC PTM certification demonstrates our commitment to providing our customers with highest-quality products,” says Josué Carvalho, Business and Strategic Relations Officer at Invitek. “This certification offers peace of mind that comes from knowing our kit is backed by scientific validation and industry standards."

Empowering laboratory Salmonella testing

The InviScreen^® Salmonella spp. Detection Kit is designed to improve the reliability, efficiency and sensitivity of laboratory Salmonella spp. testing. AOAC PTM certification process ensures that the InviScreen^® method meets high standards for accuracy and reliability. By simplifying workflows with streamlined steps, the method helps minimize user error and cross-contamination, enhancing the efficiency and reducing the costs of testing processes in the lab. Most importantly, rapid detection of even low levels of Salmonella reduces the risk of false negatives and enables timely decision-making to help prevent the distribution of contaminated food products.

About Invitek

Invitek Diagnostics is a global provider of molecular diagnostics products. Invitek’s products are designed for ultimate ease of use and time saving, with a modular system that can be adapted to any laboratory environment, enabling streamlined and efficient processes from sample collection and extraction to detection and point-of-use. Discover the complete portfolio of Invitek products for food testing, human and veterinary diagnostics, genetic testing, microbiome analysis, oncology and life sciences.

About AOAC Research Institute

The AOAC Research Institute (AOAC RI) is a division of AOAC INTERNATIONAL that promotes and conducts activities to help develop, improve, and validate proprietary testing methods. The AOAC RI Performance Tested Methods^SM program helps companies, and their customers safeguard their businesses, mitigate risk, and protect consumers through trusted, reliable testing methods and products.”

Find out more about the InviScreen^® Salmonella spp. Detection Kit at invitek.com/en/foodborne-pathogens/pdp-salmonella-spp