4. Conclusion

Rapid analysis methods in food microbiology are being used more and more frequently, but scientists need to be aware of both their advantages and their limitations. Despite the necessary enrichment phase, the total duration of food analysis is often reduced by 1-2 days compared to traditional methods. The obvious advantage of these tests is speed. However, the sheer variety of technologies used in these rapid methods means that staff need to be properly trained, and their use tailored to the needs of the analysis laboratory.