Detecting microorganisms in complex food matrices is crucial for food quality and consumer safety. Quick results are especially vital for perishable food items like fresh meat, fish, dairy products, and vegetables. InviScreen® kits for foodborne pathogen detection follow ISO standards and use real-time PCR methods for specific microorganism detection in food and feed matrices.
The Invitek Extraction Kits provide a convenient and reliable way to extract nucleic acids from pathogenic organisms in food and feed samples with high reproducibility. For rapid preparation of pre-enriched samples, the InviPrep® Fast Lysis Buffer enables fast DNA extraction from bacteria and fungi. The manual InviSorb® Lyo Pathogen Kit supports simultaneous DNA/RNA isolation with highest yield and purity for sensitive pathogen detection.
Combined extraction and real-time PCR kit for detection of Salmonella spp. in food samples, results in less than 10 hours, 100 reactions.
Real-time PCR kit for detecting botulinum neurotoxins A, B, E, and F, 100 reactions.
Real-time PCR kit for detecting Toxoplasma gondii, 100 reactions.
Real-time PCR kit for detecting Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), 100 reactions.
Real-time PCR kit for identifying Big Six non-O157 STEC serotypes (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145), 25 reactions.
Real-time PCR kit for detecting E. coli O157:H7 serotype, 100 reactions.
Real-time RT-PCR kit for detecting Norovirus genogroups I and II, including process control virus, 100 reactions.
RT-PCR kit for detecting Hepatitis A virus, including process control virus, 100 reactions.
1. What is foodborne pathogen detection and why is it critical for food safety?
Foodborne pathogen detection involves identifying disease-causing microorganisms — including bacteria and viruses — in food and feed samples. Rapid and accurate detection is essential for protecting consumers from illness, ensuring regulatory compliance, and preventing the distribution of contaminated products. Speed is particularly critical for perishable foods such as fresh meat, fish, dairy products, and vegetables, where delays in results can have significant public health and commercial consequences.
2. What foodborne pathogen detection kits does Invitek offer?
Invitek offers the following InviScreen® real-time PCR detection kits for foodborne pathogens:
| Kit | Target |
|---|---|
| InviScreen® STEC Detection Kit | Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) |
| InviScreen® STEC Serotyping Kit | STEC serotype identification |
| InviScreen® O157:H7 Detection Kit | E. coli O157:H7 serotype |
| InviScreen® Salmonella spp. Detection Kit | Salmonella species |
| InviScreen® Clostridium Botulinum Detection Kit | Neurotoxin-producing clostridia (BoNT A, B, E, F) |
| InviScreen® Hepatitis A Virus Detection Kit | Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) |
| InviScreen® Norovirus Detection Kit | Norovirus genogroups GI and GII |
3. What ISO standards do Invitek's pathogen detection kits comply with?
Invitek's InviScreen® kits are developed in accordance with the relevant ISO standards for each pathogen:
This ISO alignment ensures that results are recognised across regulatory frameworks and are suitable for official food safety testing programmes.
4. Has Invitek's Salmonella detection kit received any independent third-party certification?
Yes — the InviScreen® Salmonella spp. Detection Kit has received two significant independent certifications:
These certifications provide laboratories with a high level of confidence in the kit's performance for global food safety testing.
5. What is the sensitivity of Invitek's foodborne pathogen detection kits?
Invitek's InviScreen® pathogen kits offer high analytical sensitivity suited to food safety requirements:
This high sensitivity minimises the risk of false-negative results, enabling timely intervention to prevent contaminated products from reaching consumers.
6. Do Invitek's pathogen kits include internal controls, and why does this matter?
Yes. All InviScreen® foodborne pathogen detection kits include internal amplification controls (IAC) and extraction controls as required by their respective ISO standards. These controls:
This makes the kits reliable even in complex food matrices where inhibitory compounds are common.
7. Which extraction kits are recommended prior to using InviScreen® pathogen detection kits?
Invitek recommends the following extraction kits depending on the target pathogen type:
8. What is the InviScreen® STEC Detection Kit and how does it work?
The InviScreen® STEC Detection Kit screens for the presence of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in food, feed, and environmental samples using real-time PCR, in compliance with ISO/TS 13136. It detects STEC-associated virulence genes with a sensitivity down to 3 genomic units. For confirmed serotype identification, the InviScreen® STEC Serotyping Kit and InviScreen® O157:H7 Detection Kit can be used as follow-on tests — the O157:H7 kit specifically targets the rfbE and fliC genes, which encode the virulence marker and H-antigen associated with the O157:H7 serotype.
9. Can Invitek's pathogen detection kits detect both bacterial and viral pathogens?
Yes. Invitek's InviScreen® range covers both:
For viral detection, the workflow includes a virus recovery and concentration step from the food sample, followed by viral RNA extraction using the InviSorb® Lyo Pathogen Kit, and finally real-time RT-PCR detection using the relevant InviScreen® kit.
10. What sample types and food matrices are compatible with Invitek's pathogen detection workflow?
Invitek's pathogen detection kits are applicable to a wide range of food, feed, and environmental sample types, including:
The InviSorb® Lyo Pathogen Kit offers optimised protocols across these diverse matrices, ensuring high-quality nucleic acid recovery and reliable downstream PCR results.
