Ε. Vatsos, Ε. Αnastasiadou, Ο. Sambakou, Ι. Μaniatas, Ε. Mpiziakos

The Kit Salmonella rapid test (SRT) was compared with the ISO recommended conventional culture method (CCM) for the detection of S. typhimurium from experimentally contaminated frozen mince meat samples. The performance of both methods was evaluated at high (15-20cfu/25g of sample) and low (2-5cfu/25g of sample) levels of contamination and for a storage period of thirteen weeks. During the first 8 weeks, CCM failed to detect 3 out of 16 positive samples (18.8%) of the positive-high level of contamination samples, and 7 out of 16 (43.8%) of the low ones. SRT detected 100% of the positive high level of contamination samples, and failed to detect 5 out of 16 (31.3%) of the low ones. Both methods detected 100% of the positive sampes of either contamination level during the 9th to 13th week. Thus, SRT was appeared as more sensitive, time-saving, simpler and more convenient method than CCM, especially as screening method in the food industry.