Abstract
INTRODUCTION:
Oral transmission of acute Chagas disease is an emerging public health concern. This study aimed to detect insect fragments in experimentally contaminated food, by comparing triatomines with other insects.
METHODS
Food samples were experimentally contaminated with insects, processed to recover their fragments by light filth, and analyzed by microscopy and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
RESULTS:
Morphological differences between coleopteran and triatomine insects were observed in microscopic images. PCR was efficient in amplifying Triatominae DNA in the experimentally contaminated food.
CONCLUSIONS:
This methodology could be utilized by food analysts to identify possible insect contamination in food samples.
Keywords:
Coleoptera; Euterpe; Triatominae; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Food; Foodborne Diseases