Food safety is becoming a public health priority and governments are making efforts to develop policies and regulatory frameworks, establish and implement effective food safety systems to ensure that food producers and suppliers along the entire food chain operate responsibly and supply safe food to consumers.
The epidemiological investigation of a food-borne outbreak, which includes identification of pathogen, source attribution, removal of contaminated food items from the supply chain and development of other intervention strategies, depends on the ability to subtype the etiological agent at a high enough resolution to differentiate related from non-related cases. The traditional phenotypic subtyping methods used include serotyping, phage typing and biotyping. Since 1990, the field of subtyping has been revolutionized with the advent of molecular and DNA-based subtyping methods, which allow more sensitive discrimination than the traditional methods. Commonly used molecular subtyping/genotyping methods include banding pattern-based Pulse Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), and DNA sequencing-based Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST), and Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA). The establishment of PulseNet in USA in 1996 and its expansion as “PulseNet International” was instrumental in advancing the adoption of molecular subtyping for bacterial food-borne disease surveillance. PulseNet selected PFGE as the primary genotyping methodology, which substantially advanced food-borne disease surveillance and outbreak investigation.
Whole genome sequencing (WGS)
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is a laboratory procedure that determines the complete DNA sequence in the genome of an organism in one process. Recent advances in sequencing technologies and bioinformatics tools have made WGS a viable and advanced solution for epidemiologic investigation and surveillance of food-borne bacterial pathogens. Due to its advantages over PFGE, WGS is now becoming the preferred method for organism identification and comparison among isolates.
Advantages/benefits of WGS
This story is from the September 2017 edition of Progressive Grocer.
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Gurgaon's First and Most Successful Independent F&G Retailer
SINCE LAUNCHING ITS FIRST OUTLET IN THE YEAR 2000 IN DLF GURGAON AT A TIME WHEN MODERN TRADE FOOD AND GROCERY STORES WERE NOWHERE ON THE RETAIL HORIZONS OF THE MILLENNIUM CITY, NEEDS SUPERMARKET HAS GROWN TO ADD 26 LARGE, MEDIUM AND SMALL STORES TO ITS KITTY, CLOCKING AN ADMIRABLE RUN RATE ON VARIOUS PARAMETERS OF RETAILING EXCELLENCE ALONG THE WAY. PROGRESSIVE GROCER SPOKE TO NEEDS SUPERMARKET’S MD AJAY DHAR, AND CEO, ARUN KHATTAR, ABOUT HOW THE GROCERY CHAIN HAS BEEN ABLE TO HOLD ITS OWN AND CLOCK STEADY GROWTH IN A HYPER-COMPETITIVE MARKET DOTTED WITH BIG-BOX NATIONAL RETAILERS AND THE SECRET SAUCE BEHIND ITS SUCCESS RECIPE.
Paras Spices is innovating with unique products to meet new trends in the spices category
CATEGORY WATCH FOOD STAPLES
Brands and retailers collaborate to promote the growth of non-alcoholic beverages
SUPER-HERB INFUSED BEVERAGES THAT BRING THE POWER-PACKED GOODNESS OF SUPERFRUITS ARE TAKING THE MARKET BY STORM. THESE NONALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES CLAIM TO CONTAIN ZERO CALORIES, ZERO SUGAR, ZERO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS, AND ZERO PRESERVATIVES AND ARE DESIGNED FOR TODAY’S MILLENNIAL-GEN WHO ARE SEEKING A HEALTHY DRINK WITH A TASTY TWIST.
Just Outside the Box
THE HUMBLE PARKING LOT HAS BECOME A DIFFERENT KIND OF RETAIL DESTINATION AND HUB OF COMMERCE.
Increased Focus on Health, Wellness, and Immunity-boosting Products
SALES OF PACKAGED FOODS HAVE SURGED SINCE THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC, AS HOME-BOUND CONSUMERS STOCKPILE FAMILIAR PRODUCTS THAT WON’T GO STALE QUICKLY. BREAKFAST CEREALS, INSTANT NOODLES, RICE AND COOKING FATS ARE AMONG THE PRODUCTS THAT HAVE SEEN THE STRONGEST GROWTH IN RECENT MONTHS.
Consumer focus on hygiene & nutrition boosts packaged paneer sales
THE DEMAND FOR CATEGORIES SUCH AS CHEESE AND PANEER HAS WITNESSED AN ALL-TIME NEW HIGH DURING THIS PANDEMIC THANKS TO THE VERSATILE NATURE OF THESE PRODUCTS. NOT ONLY IS PANEER DELICIOUS TO TASTE BUT DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE LOCKDOWN, THE INTERNET WAS TRENDING WITH UNIQUE, FUN AND EASY-TO-MAKE PANEER RECIPES.
How Hormel Became a Snack Company
ACQUISITIONS, ADJACENCIES AND INNOVATION DEFINE THE GLOBAL BRANDED FOOD COMPANY’S GROWTH STRATEGY
The New Normal for Snacks
THE POST-PANDEMIC CONSUMER WILL DEMAND BETTER-FOR-YOU MEAL SOLUTIONS MORE THAN EVER BEFORE.
The rise of superfoods and ways to mainstream them on retail shelves
WHAT ARE SUPERFOODS AND THEIR BENEFITS AND WHY THESE PRODUCTS ARE WITNESSING A HUGE SURGE IN DEMAND? WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF INFUSING THESE SUPERFOODS INTO OUR TRADITIONAL FOOD PRODUCTS, AND HOW CAN THEIR VISIBILITY AND AWARENESS BE RAMPED UP IN ON-GROUND SHELVES OF SUPERMARKETS AND RETAIL COUNTERS?
What is driving consumers to become more conscious of what they eat?
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