A chemical that causes the glow in fireflies can be used to detect bacterial contamination such as salmonella and E. coli in food, British scientists say.
A test developed at Cardiff University can quickly and simply scan for the presence of bacteria, something that usually has to be done in a laboratory, they said.
The contamination in a food sample placed in the university's Bioluminescent Assay in Real-Time tester triggers the chemical luciferase, which is found in fireflies, and causes the chemical to glow, the BBC reported Tuesday.
A test developed at Cardiff University can quickly and simply scan for the presence of bacteria, something that usually has to be done in a laboratory, they said.
The contamination in a food sample placed in the university's Bioluminescent Assay in Real-Time tester triggers the chemical luciferase, which is found in fireflies, and causes the chemical to glow, the BBC reported Tuesday.
