Molecular detection and PCR
How PCR works, multiplex assays, reaction controls and reading the Ct value.
7 articles
Articles in this pillar
8 min read
What is PCR in microbiology and how does it work?
We explain what PCR is in microbiology, how it detects microorganisms and how it differs from traditional culture methods.
7 min read
AiGOR™ vs. traditional PCR: technical comparison
We compare AiGOR™, TAAG's RNA-based detection technology, with traditional DNA-based real-time PCR.
6 min read
Multiplex PCR: detecting several microorganisms in a single reaction
What multiplex PCR is, how it detects several pathogens or spoilage microorganisms in a single assay, and what limitations it has.
6 min read
RNA vs. DNA: which molecule is worth amplifying to detect a living microorganism
What sets RNA apart from DNA as a molecular detection target, why RNA degrades faster, and what that means for distinguishing living cells from dead ones.
8 min read
PCR controls: how to know whether a negative is really negative
Which controls a PCR in food needs (internal, positive, negative and no-template control), how they detect inhibition and contamination, and how they are interpreted.
8 min read
Ct value in real-time PCR: what it says and what it does not say about a sample
What the Ct or Cq value of a real-time PCR is, how it relates to the amount of target, what happens with late Ct values and why it does not equal CFU.
10 min read
PCR inhibitors in food: why cocoa, spices or milk can give a false negative
Which components of cocoa, spices, milk or meat inhibit PCR, how inhibition is detected according to ISO 22174 and how to avoid a false negative.