Main Detection Items of Microbial Inspection for Food and Pharmaceuticals

• Indicator Strains

Total bacterial count and coliforms are core sanitation indicators. Traditional plate culture takes 24–48 hours, while immunoassays enable rapid quantification to evaluate general contamination and fecal pollution status.

• Pathogenic Bacteria

Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella and Bacillus cereus may lead to food poisoning. Food containing 10⁸~10⁹ CFU/g Bacillus cereus carries high poisoning risks, which shall be tested in accordance with national standards.

• Pesticide and Veterinary Drug Residues

Hormones, chloramphenicol and other residues interfere with human metabolism. LC-MS, solid phase extraction and immunoassay kits are widely used for screening and quantitative analysis.

Practical Application of New Detection Technologies

• Molecular Biological Technologies

PCR, multiplex PCR, LAMP and nucleic acid probe technologies identify bacteria and fungi via specific nucleic acid recognition. They feature fast testing and high specificity for mass sample screening.

• Physiological, Biochemical and Biosensor Technologies

ATP bioluminescence quantifies microbes by ATP concentration. Biosensors generate signals through specific molecular recognition, with simple operation and reusable equipment for on-site rapid testing.

• Mass Spectrometry and Spectral Technologies

LC-MS accurately identifies spoilage microbes. Near-infrared, hyperspectral and Raman spectroscopy realize non-destructive detection of meat freshness and microbial pollution without complicated pretreatment.

• Immunological Detection Technologies

ELISA and immunomagnetic microspheres rely on antigen-antibody binding. Staphylococcus aureus can be detected within 3 hours at low cost, suitable for fresh food inspection.

Development Trends of Detection Technologies

• Combined Application of Traditional and New Technologies

Current national standards integrate traditional culture and molecular identification, combining reliability of conventional methods and high efficiency of new technologies to improve detection accuracy.

• Automatic and Digital Upgrade of Testing Equipment

Digital PCR, automatic PCR and microfluidic chips realize precise quantitative analysis of microbes. The automation and intelligence of testing devices keep improving.

• Innovation of Supporting Pretreatment Technologies

Continuous upgrades of bacterial enrichment, rapid DNA extraction and enrichment culture shorten sample pretreatment time, promoting the popularization of on-site rapid testing.

Microbial detection technologies keep updating. Advanced testing methods are integrated with intelligent equipment. The multi-technology joint testing system is continuously optimized, improving food and pharmaceutical safety control and providing solid technical support for market supervision.