Difference and consensus of whole cell Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovars matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry spectra

Aim: Application of MALDI‐TOF MS for characterization of strains of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica. Methods and Results: Whole cells were analysed by MALDI‐TOF MS. Spectra with a maximum of 500 mass peaks between (m/z) 0 and 25 000 were examined for consensus peaks manually and by a computer software algorithm. Consensus peaks were observed by both methods for spectra of Salmonella enterica serovars Derby, Hadar, Virchow, Anatum, Typhimurium and Enteritidis. Conclusions: Differences in numbers of consensus peaks in spectra obtained by manual and computer comparison indicated that development of the software involving statistical analysis of peak accuracy is necessary. Significance and Impact of the Study: Development of an analysis system for peak profiles in whole cell MALDI‐TOF MS spectra to enable intra and interlaboratory comparison.