Purdue University researchers have unveiled biosensor technology aimed at transforming agricultural practices by swiftly identifying contamination risks in fresh produce. The new system, inspired by COVID-19 testing methods, demonstrated 100 percent accuracy within an hour of in-field sample collection when tested on a commercial fresh produce farm. “The approach we’ve taken is using a fecal indicator called Bacteroidales as a risk marker,” said Mohit Verma, Purdue’s associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering.
The work, documented in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics, is licensed through Krishi, a startup where Verma serves as chief technology officer. Traditionally, risk assessment in fresh produce involves measuring pathogens, which, if detected, lead to crop disposal. However, detecting pathogens at low levels, as required by regulatory standards for products with a short shelf life, presents substantial challenges.
Verma’s team’s solution involves using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technology, previously utilized for diagnosing bovine respiratory disease and COVID-19. The innovation lies in implementing LAMP on paper-based devices, enabling rapid, on-site testing for agricultural applications. The research, conducted on a commercial lettuce farm in Salinas, CA, and near Purdue’s Animal Sciences Research and Education Center in West Lafayette, used plastic flags to collect bioaerosol samples.
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