Advances in Rapid Detection and Quantification of Campylobacter in Food Safety

Dear Colleagues,

Campylobacter jejuni remains a leading cause of foodborne illness worldwide, necessitating rapid and accurate detection methods to mitigate contamination risks in poultry and other food products. Although they are widely used, traditional culture-based methods are time-intensive and are often challenged by background microbiota and stress-adapted bacterial cells. Recent advances in molecular detection, enrichment strategies, and quantitative approaches have enhanced our ability to monitor Campylobacter in complex food matrices with greater sensitivity and efficiency. This Special Issue will focus on novel and improved methodologies for detecting, quantifying, and monitoring Campylobacter in food production systems. We invite submissions that explore the following topics:

• Molecular detection technologies (e.g., PCR-based assays, metagenomics, and biosensors);
• The optimization of enrichment media and culture conditions for improved bacterial recovery;
• Comparative studies on detection limits and sensitivity across different methodologies;
• The integration of rapid detection into food safety monitoring systems;
• The validation of detection methods in diverse poultry and food matrices.

This Special Issue will provide a comprehensive resource for food safety professionals, researchers, and regulatory bodies by showcasing research on advancements in Campylobacter detection. Contributions will build upon the existing literature by addressing methodological limitations and improving standardization while highlighting practical applications of emerging technologies in food safety monitoring. We encourage submissions of original research, reviews, and case studies that contribute to developing more efficient, sensitive, and applicable detection strategies for Campylobacter in the food industry.

Dr. Elena George Olson
Dr. Aaron R. Bodie
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.