Listeria bacteria are ubiquitous in the environment, and food-borne outbreaks have been detected worldwide.  Swab surfaces and equipment for listeria in your operation - test with ESK® environmental sampling products from Puritan. These user-friendly specimen transport devices simplify collection and assure your lab has the evidence needed to confirm an effective cleaning protocol, or to detect the presence of Listeria. (ESK is not a pathogen-specific rapid test – it can provide your lab with results beyond a simple go/no-go indicator.)

All of our ESK® kits have a small, polyester tip attached to a quick-turn, leak resistant cap, giving you optimum control. Where they differ from one another is the four media options (all available in either 4ml or 10ml configurations), each with its own specific use:

• Neutralizing buffer – this medium inactivates the anti-microbial agents that may be present post-cleaning to assure a viable specimen reaches the lab.  Often chosen for testing of food and dairy processing equipment that has been disinfected with chlorine or quaternary ammonium compounds.
• Letheen broth – this medium allows for visual inspection for growth while neutralizing quaternary ammonium compounds and phenols.  AOAC/ASTM recommended for use with disinfectants. Used for testing preservatives in water containing cosmetics.
• Butterfield’s solution – for specimen collection where you process by plate count methods.  Used for testing of water, food and dairy, pharmaceutical production.
• Buffered peptone water – chosen for culturing of non-fastidious organisms, and for performing the indole test.  Useful for investigating carbohydrate fermentation patterns.

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