New DNA Sequencing Technology Will Identify Salmonella Strains Causing Food Poisoning

In the wake of the recent widespread outbreak of egg-derived salmonella poisoning, U.S. researchers are working on a better way to identify the strains of salmonella bacteria that may be the source of the problem.  The government knows that the very common Salmonella Enteridis bacterium instigated the outbreak that led to a recall of half a billion tainted eggs and sickened more a thousand people. But because Salmonella Enteridis is so common, they can’t pinpoint which strain was at the root of the outbreak using current DNA testing methods. So a new tool for better identification would prove valuable. The new approach under development looks at DNA sequences of specific genes, a method that allows scientists to accurately differentiate the various possible  strains.