Evanescent Wave Fiber Optic Biosensor for Salmonella Detection in Food.docVIP

Sensors 2009, 9, 5810-5824; doi:10.3390/OPEN ACCESS sensors ISSN 1424-8220 /journal/sensors Article Evanescent Wave Fiber Optic Biosensor for Salmonella Detection in Food Angela M. Valadez 1, Carlos A. Lana 2, Shu-I Tu 3, Mark T. Morgan 1 and Arun K. Bhunia 1,* 1 Molecular Food Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Food Science, Purdue University, 745 Agriculture Mall Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA; E-Mails: valadeza@ (A.M.V); mmorgan@ (M.T.M) 2 School of Aeronautics Astronautics, Purdue University, 701 W. Stadium Ave., West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA; E-Mail: lanacarlos@.ar (C.A.L.) 3 United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania 19038, USA; E-Mail: ShuI.Tu@ (S.I.T.) * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: bhunia@; Tel.: 1-765-494-5443; Fax: +1-765-494-7953 Received: 8 May 2009; in revised form: 15 July 2009/ Accepted: 17 July 2009 / Published: 21 July 2009 Abstract: Salmonella enterica is a major food-borne pathogen of world-wide concern. Sensitive and rapid detection methods to assess product safety before retail distribution are highly desirable. Since Salmonella is most commonly associated with poultry products, an evanescent wave fiber-optic assay was developed to detect Salmonella in shell egg and chicken breast and data were compared with a time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) assay. Anti- Salmonella polyclonal antibody was immobilized onto the surface of an optical fiber using biotin-avidin interactions to capture Salmonella. Alexa Fluor 647-conjugated antibody (MAb 2F-11) was used as the reporter. Detection occurred when an evanescent wave from a laser (635 nm) excited the Alexa Fluor and the fluorescence was measured by a laser- spectrofluorometer at 710 nm. The biosensor was specific for Salmonella and the limit of detection was established