Handheld sensor enables simultaneous detection of multiple bacteria
When you hear the words E. coli or Salmonella, you immediately think of food poisoning. Rapid detection of such bacteria is crucial for preventing foodborne outbreaks. While it is common to bring food samples to a laboratory to determine the type and amount of bacteria that grow in a petri dish over a period of several days, a research team at Osaka Metropolitan University has developed a portable device for rapid on-site detection. Led by Professor Hiroshi Shiigi of the Graduate School of Engineering, the team experimented with a biosensor that can detect multiple pathogenic bacteria simultaneously within an hour. “The palm-sized detection device can be connected to a smartphone app to easily check the degree of bacterial contamination,” explained Professor Shiigi. His team synthesized organic-metal nanohybrids of gold and copper that mutually ...
