2. PCR-based molecular methods

Most molecular techniques for detecting bacteria of interest are based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Conceived in the early 1980s, PCR revolutionized experimental approaches in molecular biology. In the 1990s, it began to be used in diagnostics for the detection and identification of pathogenic bacteria. The development of real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and, more recently, digital PCR (dPCR) has made it possible to reliably diagnose and quantify pathogens in food. Many kits on the market today can detect the DNA of several pathogenic organisms of interest in a single reaction.