RT Journal Article
T1 Development of fluorescence and colorimetric LAMP-based assays for rapid and sensitive detection of toxigenic Bacillus cereus group strains in plant-based products
A1 Bisaschi, Marta
A1 Fontana, Alessandra
A1 Callegari, Maria Luisa
A1 Del Casale, Antonio
A1 Morelli, Lorenzo
A1 Lamas Freire, Alexandre
A1 Prado Rodríguez, Marta
A1 Patrone, Vania
K1 Bacillus cereus
K1 Bacillus toxins
K1 Colorimetric assay
K1 LAMP
K1 Molecular detection
K1 Plant-based products
AB Bacillus cereus represents a major concern for the microbiological safety of plant-based foods due to its ability to form heat-resistant spores and produce toxins associated with foodborne illness. Rapid, field-adapted tools for toxin gene detection are, therefore, needed to support surveillance and safety management. In this study, Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) assays targeting the emetic (cesA) and enterotoxigenic (hblD, nheB, cytK-1) genes of B. cereus were developed and their performance in plant-based products was evaluated.LAMP primer sets using qPCR equipment (qLAMP) were assessed for sensitivity and specificity with a diverse strain panel. Analytical sensitivity was also tested in spiked plant-based matrices. Seventy-two commercial plant-based foods and supplements, including dairy, meat, and fish analogues, were screened by colorimetric assays, with inconclusive samples subsequently analysed via qLAMP.No amplification occurred with non-Bacillus DNA. hblD, nheB, and cytK-1 assays showed 100% specificity to reference assignments, while cesA assay generated one apparent false positive. All assays successfully amplified target DNA in spiked matrices even at the lowest level of 101 spores × mL−1. The colorimetric analysis of commercial products showed mostly clearly positive (yellow) or negative (red) results. Some intermediate (orange) signals were confirmed by qLAMP as very low-level positives, while others showed no amplification. Among detected genes, nheB was the most frequent, followed by hblD, cytK-1, and cesA.Overall, LAMP assays provide rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of B. cereus toxin genes. The colorimetric method represents an effective first-line screening tool for plant-based foods, with qLAMP confirmation recommended for ambiguous results.
PB Elsevier
SN 0956-7135
YR 2026
FD 2026-09
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46775
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46775
LA eng
NO Bisaschi, M., Fontana, A., Callegari, M. L., Del Casale, A., Morelli, L., Lamas, A., Prado, M., & Patrone, V. (2026). Development of fluorescence and colorimetric LAMP-based assays for rapid and sensitive detection of toxigenic Bacillus cereus group strains in plant-based products. Food Control, 187, 112113. 10.1016/j.foodcont.2026.112113
NO This study was funded by the TITAN Project, co-founded by the European Union's HORIZON EUROPE Research and Innovation program under Grant Agreement No 101060739. M.P. acknowledges the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities in Spain for her grant (BG22/00139 - Beatriz Galindo program).
DS Minerva
RD 18 abr 2026