Contest Held For Salmonella Detection

FDA plans to award $20,000 to up to five finalists who submit novel ideas for detecting Salmonella in fresh fruits and vegetables. The technique must be able to detect Salmonella in produce. But FDA is encouraging researchers to submit concepts for detecting Salmonella plus other microbes that cause food-borne illness in produce or for detecting Salmonella in produce and other foods. The techniques should be faster than current methods for detecting Salmonella in produce and have the ability to identify the bacterium’s subtypes. FDA is particularly interested in methods that eliminate sample preparation or sample enrichment. The agency plans to spend a total of $500,000 on the challenge. Experts from FDA, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and the Department of Agriculture will select the finalists, who will then have the opportunity to work with FDA experts to refine their concepts. Finalists will present their concepts in March 2015. Judges will then choose a winner or winners, who will receive the remainder of the prize money. Entries are due by Nov. 9.