The conventional method for detection of Salmonella in foods is cumbersome, it is not cost-effective and results are available only after 96h. Many alternative rapid methods have been already proposed and enzyme immunoassays are the most common. This study reports the standardization of a new enzyme immunoassay for detection of Salmonella in foods, based on a policlonal non-absorbed antiserum containing f,g,s aglutinins and a pool of policlonal absorbed antisera, containing e,h; 1,6; i, 1,2, f,g,s and m,t aglutinins. The efficiency of the new assay was compared to that of the conventional method. The immunoassay was used for detection of Salmonella in baby-foods experimentally contaminated with different proportions of Salmonella and other enterobacteria. The sensitivity of the new assay was significantly higher than that of the conventional method. The agreement between the assay using the non-absorbed f,g,s antiserum and the conventional method was 89.6% and the sensitivity was 100.0%. When the pool of absorbed antisera was used, the agreement between results was 81.3% and the sensitivity 100.0%. Results indicate that this immunoassay has a good potential to be used as an alternative method for screening Salmonella in foods.
detection; Salmonella; enzyme immunoassay; foods
