ABSTRACT
The current methods for detecting foodborne pathogens are mostly destructive (i.e., samples need to be pretreated), and require time, personnel, and laboratories for analyses. During the past decade, regulatory standards in food safety have been strengthened, requiring quality assurance at every step in food production (Craig et al., 2013). The increased frequency of food inspections emphasizes the need for field-deployable and portable detection devices, toward the ultimate goal of real-time, online monitoring methods. Obviously, current methods, including plate culturing and colony counting, immunoassay, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), cannot meet these demands. Delayed identification of food pathogens may lead to largerscale outbreaks and recalls of food products and therefore greater economic loss.
