Present Technology

E.coli 0157:H7 is a Gram negative bacteria strain and can be lethal to humans. Several methods are currently available for detection and/or elimination:

The Colitag™ Test is used on water and food, and takes
18 to 24 hrs. It incorporates many tests, namely:   (1) detection of a chemical used for gas and acid in E. Coli, (2) reaction with E. coli’s waste to produce a red stain, and (3) flooding the sample with chemicals, which are then exposed to a UV light. If they fluoresce, E. coli is present.

 

The limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) test is used for medical equipment and injections, and takes at least 1 hour. It uses horseshoe crab blood, which clots when exposed to broken down bacteria (endotoxins).

Meat irradiation is a process in which meat is
bombarded with ionizing energy in the form of
gamma rays. This eliminates most bacteria on the
meat, including the deadly E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria.

The SMART™ -II E. coli test takes 8 or 24
hours, in which enriched media is flooded
with colloidal gold antibodies. If E. coli is
present, they bond, and a gold line forms
on the test strip.

The above methods for E. coli detection and elimination are effective, but often require large sums of money and extensive training. While current testing for food may take from eight to twenty-four hours, for medical equipment one hour, none are instantaneous. In order to have widespread use and have immediate results, new methods of testing must be developed.