Location: Food Safety and Intervention Technologies
Project Number: 1935-42000-073-03
Start Date: Sep 25, 2009
End Date: Jun 30, 2012
Objective:
Approach:
All laboratory work will be carried out at the Delaware State University Catfish Research and Education Center. Upon arrival at the laboratory, samples will be divided into two lots, one intended for analysis of food borne pathogens and the second for heavy metal contaminants. Microbiological analysis will be conducted immediately upon return to the laboratory. Samples for heavy metal analysis may be stored in a freezer for up to one week prior to analysis. Samples will be tested for the prevalence of Salmonella spp., coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes. E. coli analysis will be quantitative while coliforms will be determined by the most probably number (MPN) methods. Salmonella spp., and L. monocytogenes prevalence data will be qualitative using methods described in the Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook (MLG, 2008).