Rapid testing being developed to find pathogens in produce sooner

The Ag Tech X event held in Yuma on Wednesday brought eight different agriculture companies together to discuss how to create quicker testing for pathogens in food - 13 On Your Side's Luis Lopez reports

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - When hearing of rapid testing you might think of COVID-19. Well it turns out there’s a different kind of rapid testing being developed, and while it’s not for COVID, it is something preventing sickness. The Ag-Tech-X food safety event was held Wednesday in Yuma, bringing together different leaders in the agriculture industry.

Keeping our produce free of pathogens and disease was the primary focus. Pathogens like Ecoli and Listeria are among the most common found in produce. Those who gathered at the conference want to find those issues as soon as possible, and the way to do so, is with rapid diagnostics. Dennis Donohue, the executive director of the Western Growers Association, says the quicker they find those issues the better.

“We need information as soon as possible, either to prevent a problem, or if a problem occurs you know, how do we address it sooner rather than later,” Donohue said.

Testing systems are already in place to ensure food supplies are clean, but Donohue says they see room for improvement.

“We may be waiting up to 18 hours for test results, and if we can bring that into a five or six range, you know the holy grail would be can you know something immediately,” Donohue said.

Rapid diagnostics isn’t just to prevent sickness, company Snap DNA says their test delivers results in one hour. The company's vice president of sales and marketing, Tom Jacobs, says quicker results allows produce to hit shelves quicker.

“It’s very difficult to get safe product to the market, it would expend its shelf life, and that’s what we’re able to do,” Jacobs said.

Others who talked to us mentioned a desire to eventually be able to find these pathogens instantly. To prevent sickness from even reaching processing plants.