Identification of foodborne pathogens within food matrices by IR spectroscopy

Fiber evanescent wave spectroscopy (FEWS) was used to classify various foodborne pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritidis) using chemometric methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) and logistic-partial least squares (logistic-PLS). Spectra were recorded thanks to an IR optical fiber made of chalcogenide glasses. A limited segregation between the healthy and non healthy food has been observed using the PCA method, whereas a clear differentiation between bacteria strains was obtained using the PLS regression. FEWS coupled to chemometric methods is a promising technique for the identification of foodborne pathogens as it could provide a rapid identification and classification of the bacteria.