Title: Microplate Immunocapture Coupled with LAMP-BART and Selective Plating for the Rapid Detection of Salmonella Infantis in Dry Dog Food and Treats

Abstract

The objective of this study was to use microplate immunocapture (IC) to reduce the enrichment time required for detection of Salmonella in pet food with loop-mediated isothermal amplification with bioluminescent assay in real time (LAMP-BART) and selective plating on XLD. Dog food and pig ear treats were inoculated with Salmonella Infantis at concentrations of 10 0-10 4 CFU/25 g, followed by a 3-h enrichment, then microplate IC and LAMP-BART or microplate IC and selective plating on XLD. Another set of samples underwent a traditional 24-h enrichment followed by LAMP-BART or selective plating. Based on the results of three independent trials, microplate IC followed by selective plating enabled detection of Salmonella in 100% of dog food and treat samples tested, including at levels as low as 10 0 CFU/25 g. Microplate IC coupled with LAMP-BART enabled detection of Salmonella in dog food and treat samples down to levels of 10 0 CFU/25 g, with overall detection rates of 90-93%. These results indicate high potential for microplate IC to be used in place of the traditional 24-h enrichment step, enabling detection of Salmonella in complex matrices when coupled with LAMP-BART or selective plating.