Abstract

Food Microbiology Diagnostics: Novel Solutions for Old Challenges

David Rodriguez-Lazaro, Associate Professor, University of Burgos

Foodborne pathogens are a serious concern in public health. As a result, microbiological quality control programs are increasingly applied throughout the food production chain in order to minimize the risk of infection for the consumer. Food Laboratories in the Industry and in the public sector need to provide a rapid answer to any food-related threat, but the traditional microbiological techniques for detecting foodborne pathogens are laborious and time consuming, and sometimes not sufficiently rapid to assure the safety of food products at consumption, as the risk of delaying withdrawal of not compliant food from the market. Molecular methods are one of the most promising alternative techniques for the rapid detection of microorganisms in food and provides an excellent analytical sensitivity for detection improving the likelihood of detecting bacterial pathogens. Such methods are being suggested as routine methods for food laboratories instead of the time consuming ISO standards. Molecular methods show an equal and solid performance to the ISO standards, as well as are cost effective and time saving and provide a satisfactory reproducibility when carried out by different laboratories with different equipments and personnel. Consequently they represent an excellent alternative to the ISO standards and can be easily implemented routinely by Competent Authorities and Food Industry laboratories.