Selection of food hygiene indicator bacteria by metagenomic analysis and application to contamination source investigation technology

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K05939
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38050:Food sciences-related
• Research Institution: Japan Women's University (2022-2023); Saitama Industrial Technology Center (2019-2021)
• Principal Investigator: TOMINAGA Tatsuya 日本女子大学, 家政学部, 准教授 (80580539)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 腐敗食品 / 衛生指標 / 微生物 / 細菌 / メタゲノム解析 / イムノクロマト / 試験紙 / 細菌構成叢

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Through metagenomic analysis of spoiled food, bacteria that could serve as hygiene indicators were selected and a simple detection method using immunochromatographic test strip was attempted to be developed. As a result of examining the bacterial flora of spoiled sponge cakes, the presence of Pantoea spp., Bacillus spp., coliforms, and lactic acid bacteria was confirmed. Antibodies against these bacteria were produced, and test strips for detecting coliforms and lactic acid bacteria were constructed respectively. The degree of spoilage of food was visualized based on the time required to incubate food until a positive signal with the test strip was observed. The accuracy rate for predicting the degree of contamination by coliforms for sponge cakes was 87%. In addition, in tests on prepared foods, the detection rate of spoilage caused by lactic acid bacteria reached 82%.

Free Research Field

食品微生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年、食品工場において、殺菌力の高い洗浄法が普及してきている。この結果、食品製造環境の常在細菌叢が変化し、食品の腐敗状態を示す指標菌が従来のものと変化してきた。本研究では、Pantoea属細菌や乳酸菌などが新しい腐敗指標となり得ることを示した。また、イムノクロマト試験紙を用いたそれら新規指標菌の簡易検出法の開発にも成功した。消費期限/賞味期限の適切な設定が可能になり、フードロス削減にもつながることが期待される。