TITAN partners Università Cattolica di Sacro Cuore (UCSC) and Microbion have recently published a new article in Frontiers in Microbiology (Frontiers) titled “Nanopore based amplicon sequencing for rapid detection and identification of Bacillus spp. in plant-based products.” The study introduces an innovative genetic approach to monitor microbial safety in the rapidly expanding plant-based food market.
The research highlights the need for precise identification of Bacillus species, which produce heat resistant spores that can survive food processing and cause spoilage or illness. By targeting the tuf gene, the method distinguishes closely related species more accurately than traditional tests. It successfully detected multiple Bacillus strains, including the toxigenic Bacillus cereus group, in 35 of 40 products. Completed within 24 hours, the approach offers a practical solution for real-time industrial quality control.
Find the full publication in the scientific publications section.
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