Method and apparatus for applying aggregating sampling to food items

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for microbial sampling of foods. For example, a method may include providing at least one aggregating sampler at one or more sampling locations, and sampling a production lot of produce or other food items such as meat using the at least one aggregating sampler to create one or more samples that makes up a microbial sampling. Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for microbial sampling of foods. For example, an apparatus, such as a microbial aggregating sampler, may include a covering having a microbial sampling material with a pocket formed in the covering to receive an appendage or a tool for handling of the covering.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for microbial sampling food comprising:
 gathering a microbial sampling from one or more food items;   extracting microorganisms from the microbial sampling;   concentrating the microorganisms;   cleaning the microorganisms;   tallying a relative presence of the microorganisms and any potential pathogens;   aggregating information from the tallying of microorganisms into a microorganism report;   confirming the tallying of microorganisms; and   reporting the microorganism report of the tallying of microorganisms.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein gathering the microbial sampling from the one or more food items comprises:
 sampling, using an aggregating sampler, the one or more food items that include a production lot of produce or meat creating one or more samples that makes up the microbial sampling,   wherein the one or more samples are configured to be processed to indicate if pathogens are present at no greater than a normal background.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the aggregating sampler comprises:
 a covering comprising a microbial sampling material with a pocket formed in the covering to receive an appendage or a tool for handling of the covering.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the covering comprises an attachment feature formed in the pocket to receive the tool, and 
       wherein the attachment feature comprises one of:
 a hole formed through the covering; 
 a loop positioned within the pocket to receive an end of the tool therethrough; and 
 a tab positioned within the pocket for an end of the tool to attach thereto. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the pocket is formed through the covering such that the appendage or the tool for handling the covering extends through the covering. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the covering comprises:
 two sheets attached to each other to form the pocket, or   
       a single sheet folded and attached to itself to form the pocket. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 assessing, using an aggregating sampler, a level of cross contamination control to validate or verify a wash process.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein gathering the microbial sampling from the one or more food items comprises:
 providing an aggregating sampler at a sampling location,   wherein the sampling location is at least one of in a field, at harvest, just after dumping or cutting, in a wash system, or after the wash system.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein extracting comprises:
 enriching the microbial sampling; and   adding fluid to the microbial sample.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein concentrating comprises:
 filtering extraction fluid of the microbial sampling using at least one of centrifugation filtering or osmotically filtering.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein cleaning comprises:
 binding the microorganisms in a small area including one or more of a microfluidized or nanofluidized channel.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein tallying comprises: 
       using a collection of ligands that bind and tag all microorganisms of potential interest yielding a collection of signals that are multiplexed into a family of useful channels, wherein ligands include one or more of antibodies, primers, and aptamers. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein tallying comprises:
 generating an array of specific binding interactions that are analyzed chemometrically to yield a metric comprising:
 building an array of binding sites, 
 wherein a composition of the samples can be queried; and 
 amplifying, using a PCR, the samples selectively with a collection of primers. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein confirming comprises:
 extracting surface antigens from the microorganisms or nucleic acid from the microorganisms from a screening system to an extent that these materials can interact with reagents of a confirmation procedure; and   amplifying a base signal of the tallying of microorganisms.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further including use of one or more of an index as a surrogate for direct results regarding presence or absence of organisms of interest, or a statistical process control for detecting deviations in microbial flora. 
     
     
         16 . A method of applying aggregating sampling to food items comprising:
 providing at least one aggregating sampler at one or more sampling locations; and   sampling, using the at least one aggregating sampler, a production lot of produce or meat creating one or more samples that makes up a microbial sampling.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more samples are configured to be processed to indicate if pathogens are present at no greater than a normal background. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more sampling locations includes at least one of in a field, at harvest, just after dumping or cutting, in a wash system, or after the wash system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 assessing, using the aggregating sampler, a level of cross contamination control to validate or verify a wash process.   
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for microbial sampling, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to generate control signals for controlling:
 gathering a microbial sampling from one or more food items; 
 extracting microorganisms from the microbial sampling; 
 concentrating the microorganisms; 
 cleaning the microorganisms; 
 tallying a relative presence of the microorganisms and any potential pathogens; 
 aggregating information from the tallying of microorganisms into a microorganism report; and 
 confirming the tallying of microorganisms; 
   an aggregating sampler configured to gather the microbial sampling; and   a transmitter configured to transmit the microorganism report of the tallying of microorganisms.