Parallel analysis of 7 food-borne pathogens using capillary electrophoresis-based single-strand conformation polymorphism

Capillary electrophoresis-based single-strand conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) coupled with multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used for the detection of 7 pathogens associated with foodborne illness, including Salmonella enterica, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Escherichia coli O157:H7. The method was applied to model food systems, both of culture medium and cooked rice. The detection limit of individual microbes was in the range of 101–103 CFU/g, and that of the mixture of 7 microbes was 103 CFU/g in the cooked rice sample. This method allowed the detection and identification of all 7 food-borne pathogens within 5 hr without the requirement for enrichment steps.