Rapid and standardized methods for detection of foodborne pathogens and mycotoxins on fresh produce

Due to the increase in consumption of fresh produce regarding to the health demand in the last decades, a considerable portion of foodborne outbreaks has been trackbacked to contaminated fresh produce, which have appeared as highly possible vehicles for foodborne outbreaks nowadays. Delays in detection of pathogens and mycotoxins on fresh produce hindered the trace-back investigations in finding the source and revealed the urgent need of rapid and reliable methods. In the frame of this review, we summarized available fast, reliable and standardized methods (conventional, molecular, rapid and recently developed methods) used for detection of the most common foodborne pathogens and mycotoxins which are the most likely causative agents of outbreaks caused by contaminated fresh produce. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.