New 3D Printed Chip Could Help Prevent Spread of Foodborne Illnesses

Who has never seen the dreaded public health announcement from the USDA, “food recalled due to pathogens”? Whether E.coli, Salmonella, Listeria, Norovirus or any of the at least 31 pathogens known to cause foodborne illnesses, tracking and ensuring that these do not end up in the public’s food is one of the government’s most important roles. However, as we have seen over the years, they are not infallible. Now, a new 3D printed chip may be what helps to make the difference.

Although it may seem like a rare occurrence, foodborne illnesses are widespread. In the United States alone, the CDC estimates that about 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die every year due to foodborne diseases each year. An astonishing statistic that only gets larger when applied to the entire world. For example, the WHO claims that ‘unsafe’ food causes 600 million cases and 420,000 deaths annually, with at least a third occurring in children under 5 years of age. Pregnant women and older adults also extremely susceptible to serious consequences.

Foodborne pathogens like E.coli (pictured) can have devastating effects on public health

This is exactly what the researchers from Guangdong University of Technology and Pudong New District People’s Hospital are hoping to attack with this new solution. By developing a faster, cheaper and more effective method for screening foods, they hope that they can help keep contaminated food out of the hands of consumers. And, of course, 3D printing has an important role to play.