Detection of Airborne Virulent Bacteriophage of Dairy Starter Culture in a Cheese Factory - Bertin Technologies

Detection of Airborne Virulent Bacteriophage of Dairy Starter Culture in a Cheese Factory

Centre de recherche, Hôpital Laval, Québec, Canada Daniel Verreault M.Sc, Caroline Duchaine PhD.
Sources: Centre de recherche, Hôpital Laval, Québec, Canada Daniel Verreault M.Sc, Caroline Duchaine PhD.

Context

Phage infection of Lactococcus lactis (commercially important bacterium used to make fermented dairy products) during fermentation of milk is a troublesome and persistent economic problem in factories where fermented dairy products are produced such as in cheese factories.

In this study, the concentration of the lactococcal 936-species bacteriophages was evaluated in aerosols collected in a cheese factory with different sampling techniques: either filters (polycarbonate and Teflon) or liquid sampling (Coriolis® and BioSampler).

Materials

  • Coriolis®µ, sterile cones.
  • BioSampler (SKC).
  • Liquid: Sterile water+ 0.01%Tween20.
  • PC (Polycarbonate) filter on 37 mm cassette.
  • PTFE (Teflon) filter on 37 mm cassette.
  • Real time PCR.

Protocol

  • Coriolis®µ (n=5): 3 x 10 minutes; 300 L/min.
  • BioSampler (n=6): 20 min, 12.5 L/min.
  • PC and PTFE filters (n=6): 12 hours; 2 L/min.
  • Real time PCR (SYBR Green) : number of phage genomes per cubic meter of air.

Results

Coriolis®µ: Conclusive result with a fast sampling (30 minutes) and a limit of detection 8 to 113 times better than other samplers.

PC et PTFE filters: Conclusive results (above the limit of detection); the time of  sampling (12 hours) is still a restrictive step.

BioSampler: Inconclusive results (limit of detection)

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Customer

Conclusion

The Coriolis® is an efficient air sampler to detect low concentration of airborne virulent bacteriophage in the air. Furthermore thanks to its ergonomic design, the use is easy in industrial area such as cheese factories.

In both industrial and epidemiological context, short time sampling (high air flow rate), efficiency and its ergonomic design are important assets to detect airborne contaminants and to react as soon as possible.

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