Microbial Safety and Molecular Detection in Food Production and Processing

Dear Colleagues,

Foodborne diseases (FBDs) constitute a relevant public health problem due to their incidence and severity. The high costs associated with FBDs have required world health authorities (WHO-FAO) to design preventive measures that ensure adequate international trade and protect the health of consumers through food safety. Monitoring pathogenic microorganisms through traditional culture methods or viable counts provides direct evidence of microbial hazard. In some cases, these pathogens are not easily detectable due to a low concentration, heterogeneous distribution, and physiological stress conditions that characterize their presence in foods, among other reasons. However, current research in epidemiology and food-associated diseases has used a variety of techniques derived from immunology to genetics. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is currently the gold standard for epidemiological and molecular identification and typing. Studies using WGS have demonstrated high discrimination of the information content, which provides a more accurate view of taxonomic differences between pathogenic strains. This technique not only enables the identification of the causative microorganism, but also creates a link with the source of contamination. It provides a wealth of information regarding its virulence and antibiotic resistance, and enables the establishment of more precise epidemiological links.

Dr. Julio Parra-Flores
Guest Editor

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