E. coli testing in food production
NEMIS technologies
E. coli test
E. coli contamination is a leading cause of food recalls. Escherichia coli can cause severe sickness and death, and it can also lead to costly and reputation-destroying recalls for food producers. That’s where the N-Light™ E. coli Test from NEMIS Technologies comes in. With the N-Light™ E. coli Test, you can quickly and easily test your food production environment. That allows you to stop E. coli before it spreads, ensuring food safety and saving you money.
The NEMIS N-Light™ E. coli Test utilises our proprietary Aquaspark™ platform which leverages pioneering phage technology to quickly detect even small amounts of live bacteria. Unlike traditional lab tests that can take days to get results, the NEMIS N-Light™ E. coli Test produces actionable results in just 16 hours, allowing you to stop the spread of E. coli before it proliferates and reaches customers. Fast, accurate, easy to use. NEMIS Technologies puts you in control of food safety monitoring.
The critical need for advanced detection
According to the US FDA, E. coli is consistently among the top causes of food recalls. Notable outbreaks underscore the critical need for effective detection methods. Such outbreaks include the 2018 romaine lettuce contamination, the 2022 French frozen pizza incident, and the June 2024 case of sandwiches, wraps, and salads sold in major British supermarkets.
These incidents underscore the need for advanced detection technologies, as traditional models like the Enterobacteriaceae test may only sometimes be specific enough.
N-Light™ Escherichia coli for actionable results in 16h
Our E. coli rapid test is part of the N-Light™ environmental monitoring series, which enables pathogen detection without needing a laboratory.
The N-Light™ E. coli test leverages the enzyme Beta-glucuronidase, present in 99% of E. coli strains
- User-Friendly: Minimal training is required for accurate results.
- Rapid Results: Obtain results in as little as 16 hours.
- High Sensitivity: Detects even single-digit dried E. coli cells from stainless steel surfaces with exceptional accuracy.
We developed this test
to serve as a hygiene indicator for:
Water safety
Factory surfaces
Hand hygiene
N-Light™ E. coli tube contains
a unique, innovative technology
Patented AquaSpark™
platform for detection of live bacteria
platform for detection of live bacteria
The biosafety cap for safe
on-site enrichment
on-site enrichment
Consider your sampling needs:
N-Light™ MaxiSampler vs N-Light™ swab
Patent pending
By choosing the right tool for each surface type and size, you can meet regulatory guidelines effectively while maximizing sampling efficiency and accuracy.
N-Light™ MaxiSampler
Patent pending
-
Designed for Large Surface Coverage Excels in sampling larger, flat surfaces such as floors, walls, and countertops. Provides broader detection of potential contamination across sizable zones. -
Guideline Endorsed for Broader Surveillance Environmental monitoring guidelines often endorse sponges for larger, straightforward areas to capture a comprehensive view of contamination risks.
-
Surface Area With a typical range up to 0.3 m² (like a 30×30 cm area), N-Light™ MaxiSampler maximizes sampling on expansive surfaces, offering robust environmental surveillance.
N-Light™ swab
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Ideal for Hard-to-Reach Areas Swabs are perfect for narrow or intricate surfaces such as equipment joints, cracks, and small parts that might otherwise be missed.
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Recommended by Guidelines for Small Surface Sampling Many guidelines, such as those from the FDA and ISO, suggest swabs for sampling limited areas or surfaces with complex geometries.
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Surface Area Typically covers around 0.1m² (like a 10×10 cm area), making swabs ideal for focused or spot sampling on high-touch or high-risk zones.
Simple, Effective, Testing process
1. Sample
2. Transfer
3. Incubate
16 h / 44 °C
4. Activate
2-4 min
5. Measure
10 s
Recommended products:
N-Light™ E. coli
NEMIS product REF 00029
Product description
N-Light™ E. coli is a qualitative test for rapid detection of the bacterial hygiene indicator Escherichia coli. The test method is suitable for use in food processing areas and equipment as part of an environmental monitoring program and can also be used for testing process water and other liquid samples. Final test results are available 16h after sampling.
Storage conditions: 2-8 °C / 36-46 °F, DO NOT FREEZE
Transport conditions: ambient (short duration only)
HS tariff number: 38221900
Country of origin: CH
Each test consists of the following components:
- N-Light™ Biosafety Tube, filled with N-Light™ E. coli Enrichment Broth, 2 ml
- N-Light™ Dispensing Closure, containing the N-Light™ E. coli AquaSpark® tablet, 1 pc. / 15 mg
Technical specifications
NEMIS tests each production batch against the specifications listed below.
| General characteristics | Specification |
|---|---|
| Broth general appearance | Yellowish, clear waterlike solution |
| Broth visible turbidity | No particles |
| Broth optical density (OD600) | < 0.10 |
| Broth Volume | 1.80 – 2.20 ml |
| Broth pH value | 7.20 – 7.60 |
| Functionality test (Background) | < 5000 RLU (NEMIS Luminometer) |
| Quantity of AquaSpark® | Internal specification |
| Microbial performance | Specification |
|---|---|
| Sterility control | No growth, 7 days @ 37 °C |
| E. coli ATCC 11303 | Positive result |
| E. coli ATCC 35218 | Positive result |
| Сitrobacter freundii BC-SM 67 | Negative result |
| Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13882 | Negative result |
| Bacillus licheniformis BC-LM 29.12 | Negative result |
Certificates of analysis are available on request.
Packaging specifications
| General characteristics | Primary packaging (test tube) | Secondary packaging (product box) |
Tertiary packaging (distributor box) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | 1 test | 50 tests (1 x 50) | 300 tests (6 x 50) |
| Bar code / GTIN | See below | 7649994979287 | 7649994979294 |
| Length | 1.9 cm | 26.2 cm | 36.3 cm |
| Width | 1.9 cm | 11.5 cm | 27.4 cm |
| Height | 11.1 cm | 11.6 cm | 24.4 cm |
| Net weight | 0.010 kg | 0.600 kg | 3.950 kg |
| Total plastic amount | 0.008 kg | 0.376 kg | 2.256 kg |
| Non-reusable plastic amount — in the product — in the packaging |
0.008 kg 0.000 kg |
0.375 kg 0.001 kg |
2.250 kg 0.006 Kg |
Lot and serial number of the test
Each test has a unique number printed on the tube label. The human readable format is LLLLLLL-XXXXX. Additionally, this number is encoded without the hyphen in a linear barcode of type Code 128:
- LLLLLLL: 7-digit lot number
- XXXXX: 5-digit consecutive number
N-Light™ E. coli
Required materials
- N-Light™ E. coli test tubes
- NEMIS Bench-top Luminometer
- NEMIS Dry Block Heater
- Kitchen Timer
- Optional: N-Light™ Activation Tool (REF 00008)
- N-Light™ sampling devices containing compatible moistening solution
- N-Light™ sterile dry swabs BP with separate PBS buffer (REF 00026)
- N-Light™ sterile dry swabs BP with separate neutralizer (REF 00037)
- N-Light™ sterile MaxiSamplers with separate BPW buffer (REF 00062)
- N-Light™ sterile MaxiSamplers with separate neutralizer (REF 00064)
Training
At NEMIS, your success is our priority. Our experts are here to guide you with comprehensive training resources, including instructional videos, to help your team confidently and accurately perform procedures. For on-demand training requests, please contact us at techsupport@nemistech.com.
FAQ
The N-Light™ E. coli test is a qualitative test for rapidly detecting Escherichia coli, indicating fecal contamination and the potential presence of pathogenic bacteria and viruses. It is intended for use in food processing areas and on food manufacturing equipment as part of an environmental monitoring program. It can also be used for testing water samples.
The only required instruments are the NEMIS dry block heater and the NEMIS Luminometer. They can be used on-site without any laboratory infrastructure. It is recommended to perform the test in a separate room, distant from the production environment.
The N-Light™ E.coli has no yet been certified by an independent organisation. However, NEMIS rigorously tested the performance of the test together with an academic partner. Please contact sales@nemistech.com or techsupport@nemistech.com for a summary of internal validation data
AquaSpark™ substrates are dioxetane compounds bearing molecular structures that are specifically recognized by target enzymes. When cleaved by an enzyme, AquaSpark™ substrates emit light by a process called chemiluminescence. The N-Light™ E. coli test uses an AquaSpark™ substrate for the enzyme beta-glucuronisdase which is highly specific for Eschrichia coli strains.
The N-Light™ broth contains a mixture of nutrients for optimal growth of E. coli. Suppression of competing microorganisms is achieved by an elevated incubation temperature of 44°C.
RLU stands for Relative Light Units and is the unit of measure used in the NEMIS luminometer. RLU values are proportional to the amount of AquaSpark™ light emission induced by a specific enzyme. For each NEMIS test, a certain RLU threshold for presumptive positive, below the threshold, the test reults is considered as negative. In the case of the N-Light™ E. coli, a sample is considered presumptive positive when the signal is above 10'000 RLU.
Results can be obtained after 16 hours of incubation at 37°C. A reduction of the incubation time by one hour (15 h) is also ok, but incubation times shorter than that will decrease the sensitivity of the N-Light™ E. coli test for stressed cells. In case relatively high numbers of E. coli are expected, incubation time can be reduced to 8 h. It, likewise, up to six hours longer incubation time (30 h) will not affect the test, but longer incubation times have not yet been validated and may lead to unreliable results.
Hot spots that accurately indicate potential product contamination should be preferentially sampled. Please refer to your Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan.
Optimally, high-risk spots should be swabbed on a daily basis after each cleaning or production shift. In case of a positive result, immediate corrective action should be taken with re-cleaning and re-testing until a passing result can be measured. Lower-risk control points may be tested less frequently.
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