ABSTRACT
Human diseases caused by foodborne microorganisms have been highlighted as important health concerns, especially in most developing countries. There is a higher demand for quality food by human population, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. To prevent the intra and international spread of pathogens associated with food; various technological advances have been developed for appropriate identification of several genera and species of pathogens isolated from food within the complex food chain beginning from its primary production to the final consumers. It has been documented that molecular strategies enable the successful tracking and tracing of microbial isolates that are available in food sample. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of classical examples of various molecular approaches used in the detection and characterization of pathogens associated with human food and food-related microorganisms. It is envisaged that the use of molecular identification will be made into simple and cost-effective forms which could enable countries, especially the developing countries, to monitor and guarantee adequate food safety of their food products.
