Vol. 1, Issue 3  ‣ June 2024

Table of Contents

A highlight of the 2024 Food Safety Summit in Rosemont, IL was a presentation given on the topic of how new pathogens emerge, how they adapt to their environment, and how food safety professionals can determine the most effective strategy to stay a step ahead of these microbial threats.

The first presenter, Dr. Alvin Lee from the University of Illinois, opened the symposium by sharing his research on how microorganisms can adapt to overcome environmental stressors, and how these environmental stressors can cause an increase in pathogenicity. 

A compelling example of pathogen survival shared by Dr. Lee was a study that demonstrated that the microaerophilic Camplylobacter jejuni can adapt to become aerotolerant under the right environmental conditions. Since the fastidious C. jejuni is known for its vulnerability to aerobic conditions, these findings come as a surprise.

Dr. Purnendu Vasavada from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls further expounded on the microevolution of microbial pathogens, driving home his point that the only thing we can count on is that the organisms will adapt and change. He shared a timeline of the discovery of pathogens throughout recorded history, and highlighted the bleak reality that as we discover and learn to combat new microbial threats, new ones emerge onto the scene. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the old pathogens reemerge with new defenses. He compared this predicament to a game of Whac-a-Mole; as soon as we think we have one threat under control, a new one appears.

But in spite of their evidently unlimited resilience, Dr. Brendan Niemira from the USDA rounded out the session with practical strategies to counteract these microscopic opponents and ensure the efficacy of food protection countermeasures. He summarizes potential responses into four categories: avoidance, containment, eradication, and “watchful waiting.” Each of these approaches comes with its own benefits and drawbacks, highlighting the importance of implementing continuous risk and hazard assessments.

McFarland Latex Standards (Cat. no. ML05-ML8) offer a reliable reference for standardizing bacterial suspensions used in susceptibility testing and other procedures requiring a consistent inoculum. These standards utilize uniform latex particles in buffer solutions, ensuring stability and an extended shelf-life compared to traditional barium sulfate standards.

See us at the International Association for Food Protection meeting
in Long Beach, booth #309

How to perform serial dilutions and make microbial suspensions using McFarland Standards

Learn more: https://hardydiagnostics.com/compactdry

Explore our brochure to learn more about how these products can transform your serial dilution procedures.

Mark Pruett

FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRODUCT MANAGER

Hardy’s team of skilled sales specialists and microbiologists are dedicated to equipping you with the right tools to reliably detect, identify, and eliminate harmful pathogens and toxins. In addition to prepared and dehydrated culture media formulations, Hardy Diagnostics also excels in working with customers to manufacture custom culture media.

By evaluating alternative primary or secondary methods for environmental monitoring, food safety professionals can not only mitigate the risk of delays caused by backordered testing supplies, but may also increase their bottom line by reducing the cost of everyday operations. At Hardy, we are proud to offer our customers innovative solutions that protect public health and improve the profitability of your business.

Do you have a suggestion, comment, or question? Please contact Mark here.

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