Performance of a DNA Probe-Based Salmonella Test in the AACC Check Sample Program.

The performance of the GENE-TRAK® Salmonella assay in food as been evaluated with samples of flour or flour based bakery mix provided by the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) check sample program. Six pairs of coded samples were tested from November 1986 through September 1987. The test correctly identified all six positive and six negative samples. This included a lactose positive Salmonella strain that was missed by a large majority of the other laboratories that participated in the survey. These results indicate that DNA probe technology can provide not only more timely results than traditional methods, but in some cases can actually provide more accurate information.