4. Portable devices for bacteria detection

Isothermal amplification techniques offer great potential for the development of portable devices for the low-cost, high-sensitivity molecular diagnosis of pathogens. For example, this is made possible by coupling isothermal DNA amplification with microfluidic technology, which enables test samples to be prepared and DNA extracted automatically. Microfluidic systems feature a set of miniaturized components that replace bulky, expensive instruments and enable automated analysis of food samples (figure 6 ).