Comparative Evaluation of Veriflow ® Listeria Species to USDA Culture-Based Method for the Detection of Listeria spp. in Food and Environmental Samples

Veriflow® Listeria species (Veriflow LS) is a molecular-based assay for the presumptive detection of Listeria spp. from environmental surfaces (stainless steel, sealed concrete, plastic, and ceramic tile) and ready-to-eat (RTE) food matrixes (hot dogs and deli meat). The assay utilizes a PCR detection method coupled with a rapid, visual, flow-based assay that develops in 3 min post-PCR amplification and requires only a 24 h enrichment for maximum sensitivity. The Veriflow LS system eliminates the need for sample purification, gel electrophoresis, or fluorophore-based detection of target amplification and does not require complex data analysis. This Performance Tested MethodSM validation study demonstrated the ability of the Veriflow LS assay to detect low levels of artificially inoculated Listeria spp. in six distinct environmental and food matrixes. In each unpaired reference comparison study, probability of detection analysis indicated that there was no significant difference between the Veriflow LS method and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service Microbiology Laboratory Guide Chapter 8.08 reference method. Fifty-one strains of various Listeria spp. were detected in the inclusivity study, and 35 nonspecific organisms went undetected in the exclusivity study. The study results show that the Veriflow LS is a sensitive, selective, and robust assay for the presumptive detection of Listeria spp. sampled from environmental surfaces (stainless steel, sealed concrete, plastic, and ceramic tile) and RTE food matrixes (hot dogs and deli meat).