Joint Technological Unit ACTIA “FASTYPERS”: Fast detection of food-borne bacterial pathogens

Salmonella spp and Listeria monocytogenes are two major food-borne pathogens. Food contamination can originate from either vegetal or animal raw matters and from food-processing environments. The ability of these pathogens to adapt to stress, grow at low temperatures, form biofilms and then persist in food processing plants for years has made these two pathogens a major challenge for food safety. Successful control of these bacterial strains in the food chain requires appropriate cleaning and sanitation programs. Biocides play an essential role in limiting the dissemination of bacterial pathogens. However, some strains are able to resist to sanitation processes. The Joint Technological Unit ACTIA entitled “FASTYPERS” has been created in France to gain a deeper insight into the contamination of the pork-and-dairy sectors, for both of these pathogens, in a One-Health approach. FASTYPERS is a 5 years project, located in Maisons-Alfort, which involves the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), the National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE), the French Food Safety and Dairy Product Institute (ACTALIA) and the French Pig and Pork Institute (IFIP). The principal objectives are to (i) identify the genomic markers linked to adaptation of these strains to their different ecological niches, from farm to fork (ii) develop faster molecular tools to detect and characterize the strains isolated from milk-and-pork processing chains. To complete the existing partner’s strains collection, additional samplings will be carried out in different compartments along the food chain. Those strains will be tested phenotypically for biocide resistance and biofilm formation. Genome Wide Association Studies will reveal key genetic markers contributing to adaptation of strains in the food plants. These markers will then be used for the development of two cutting-edge molecular tools, GenoSalmo1 and GenoListeria. In one single analysis, these tools will help us to detect resistant strains that can persist in the food processing plants. These tests will assist the food industry decision-making for improving food safety.