Traditional means for microbial detection can no longer match the pace and reach of today's food processing and distribution networks. Rapid detection of pathogens in foods has never been more important. Emerging sensor and detector techniques may provide timely and actionable information useful in lessening the human and economic burdens levied by foodborne disease. This symposium features presentations on novel optical, spectroscopic and electrochemical technologies for pathogen detection, some of which are amenable to high-throughput, multivalent screening of foods. Benefits and challenges of these new methods and their comparison with existing techniques will be discussed. Label-free approaches and the advantages of novel bioaffinity ligands will be highlighted.

Presentations