Our Microbiology Lab performs testing for the following KDA programs: Dairy & Feed, Meat & Poultry, plus Food Safety & Lodging.

We have two microbiology testing areas: a dairy lab and a BSL-2 lab, which stands for Biosafety Level 2. BSL-2 means that we have extra precautions so that we can work with organisms that cause foodborne disease in a safe manner. We test dairy and meat products and other human foods to ensure that they are safe for the citizens of Kansas.

In microbiology, we use a range of classic cultural methods that involve inoculating media and then reading the biochemical changes. As you can see here, our microbiologist is aseptically transferring bacteria from one growth medium to another. Many of our methods incorporate a step like this. We do this aseptically to assure that cross-contamination does not occur in the sample testing process.

We also rely on molecular-based technologies such as DNA amplification and antibody-antigen interactions to detect foodborne pathogens. The polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, machine you see here make millions of copies of DNA to help us identify foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella or shiga-toxin producing E. coli. Our work helps to verify that food processing and manufacturing processes are effective at preventing foodborne disease and that our food supply remains wholesome.

The dairy testing area is very important for the Kansas dairy industry. Here we see one of our dairy microbiologists performing a somatic cell count on a milk sample. Somatic cells are white blood cells, which are mostly leukocytes. If there are too many somatic cells in the milk, then it indicates that one or more cows had mastitis when they were milked. Milk from mastitic cows is likely to have off flavors and to spoil more quickly. We also test milk for alkaline phosphate, an enzyme that indicates proper pasteurization. Another common test is for the presence of antibiotic residues which determines whether or not milk is fit for human consumption.

We use the same methods that all other state and U.S. territory dairy labs are using in support of the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance. The benefit of this collective effort is that Kansas milk and milk products can be shipped across state lines without barriers.

We also run chemical and microbiological analyses on meat products as part of our agency’s cooperative program with USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. We routinely test raw ground beef and beef trim for the presence of shiga-toxin producing E. coli. During youth livestock show season, the KDA Laboratory receives an influx of kidney inhibition swabs to test for antimicrobial drugs that may have been used in show animals.

When there is a foodborne disease complaint in our state, these food samples are sent to the KDA Laboratory. We examine these samples to identify the microbial culprit that caused people to become ill. When we’re able to isolate the cause, our Food Safety & Lodging program can take enforcement actions to keep the public safe. For instance, our data can be used to support a product recall so that unsafe products are removed from store shelves to prevent others from getting sick.