Pinpointing lethal bacteria within minutes

Terry Inigo-Jones

Calgary - Special to Globe and Mail Update Published on Friday, Sep. 11,
2009 4:14PM EDT Last updated on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009 10:35AM EST 

Imagine the benefits of never having to recall possibly contaminated
food products that have made it to supermarket shelves or the hands of
consumers.

Aqua Screen Corporation, a startup company in Edmonton, is working to
turn that possibility into reality.

It is now testing innovative technology to produce test results within
minutes for bacteria including listeria, salmonella and E. coli. This
would mean the test results would be known before any product is
shipped.

"In Canada today, it takes on average about a week to get the results of
a listeria test," says Maple Leaf Foods chief food
safety officer Randy Huffman.

"So if a test in a ready-to-eat food shows a potential food safety problem, the only
way to address the problem is to recall the food ... as much of it as
hasn't been eaten yet," Dr. Huffman writes on the company website.

Maple Leaf has become an advocate for more rapid testing for bacteria
since a listeriosis outbreak was traced to its plant in Toronto last
year. The outbreak killed 22 people in Canada.

"You would have the ability to test and know immediately and it would
drastically reduce the chance of a contamination and/or a recall," says
John Murphy, president and CEO of Aqua Screen,
which was incorporated in 2006 and is a spinoff of research done at the
University of Calgary.

The company has patented some of its technology and is applying for more
patents. With the help of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology,
it recently completed tests of a prototype portable testing device.

Currently, there are two types of tests, Mr. Murphy says. One involves
taking a swab and growing bacteria cultures, which can take two to four
days. The other is called polymerase chain reaction, in which one looks
for the DNA of bacteria. This can take 15-18 hours.

"Right now, approximately half of the food processors in North America
... are still using cultures," he says.

Aqua Screen is creating a new way of testing for pathogens called DLA
(detections with laser anisotropy). This uses antibodies designed to
find only specific pathogens within a solution and then binds to them. A
laser is then fired into the solution and can determine whether binding
has occurred. If it has, then the pathogen is present. This is done on a
portable device and the results are ready in minutes.

Tests on the prototype went well and the company is now moving on to
build multiple devices for more testing and to ensure the devices
perform at the same level as accepted methods now in use.

"You need the accuracy. You need the speed. And it has to work every
time," Mr. Murphy says. The device can be programmed to test for
bacteria, including listeria, salmonella and E. coli. It can also test
for chemical contaminants.

"Rapid testing done by labs in each plant cuts the time from about one
week to a day or two, providing us with information that allows us to
act sooner at the plant. Maple Leaf will act immediately to implement
rapid testing at our prepared meat plants when approved - and is pushing
for government approval of these more rapid testing methods," Dr.
Huffman at Maple Leaf says.

Potential clients for the device include not only the food-processing
and beverage industries, but also agricultural soil testing, and any
industry that has to do environmental quality testing.

"Every one of those markets is huge, so once we are rolling, I think
growth won't be a problem," Mr. Murphy says.

Aqua Screen aims to complete testing and go through the regulatory
process in one year. Then it can move on to manufacturing in quantity
and marketing.

Meanwhile, the company is already working on the next technological
evolution.

"We have got some pretty interesting technology on the back burner that
would allow 24/7 unmanned testing," Mr. Murphy says. "There is no
sitting down, because if we sit down we are going to be sitting ducks.
This will be a very competitive world."