A Review of Modern Methods for the Detection of Foodborne Pathogens

Despite the recent advances in food preservation techniques and food safety, significant disease outbreaks linked to foodborne pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses still occur worldwide indicating that these pathogens still constitute significant risks to public health. Although extensive reviews of methods for foodborne pathogens detection exist, most are skewed towards bacteria despite the increasing relevance of other pathogens such as viruses. Therefore, this review of foodborne pathogen detection methods is holistic, focusing on pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This review has shown that culture-based methods allied with new approaches are beneficial for the detection of foodborne pathogens. The current application of immunoassay methods, especially for bacterial and fungal toxins detection in foods, are reviewed. The use and benefits of nucleic acid-based PCR methods and next-generation sequencing-based methods for bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens' detection and their toxins in foods are also reviewed. This review has, therefore, shown that different modern methods exist for the detection of current and emerging foodborne bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens. It provides further evidence that the full utilization of these tools can lead to early detection and control of foodborne diseases, enhancing public health and reducing the frequency of disease outbreaks.

Automated summary

Despite advances in food preservation and safety, foodborne diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses still pose significant risks to public health. Previous reviews on foodborne pathogen detection methods have focused mainly on bacteria, neglecting the importance of viruses. This holistic review discusses various methods for detecting bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens in food, including culture-based methods, immunoassays, PCR, and next-generation sequencing. Utilizing these tools can lead to early detection and control of foodborne diseases, reducing the frequency of outbreaks and enhancing public health.