Rapid Confirmation of Presumptive Positive Pathogen Screening Test Results: Analytical and Hybrid Confirmations

Food testing laboratories screen for pathogens using specific, sensitive, rapid methods including serological and molecular technologies. These efficiently deliver “not detected” results which, from accredited rapid methods, support release of products into commerce. However, “presumptive positive” results are confirmed using culture-based methods. These remain the “gold standard” due to historical precedent and their ability to yield isolates for traceability and regulatory enforcement but can be problematic for manufacturers and the supply chain when product release is delayed. Serological or molecular based rapid methods are faster, more accurate, and better aligned with real-world food safety needs—making a compelling case for updating confirmation standards to include such analytical procedures. Laboratory workflows combining different rapid methods could provide fast and accurate confirmations, allowing for quick decisions with the same or higher confidence as those made with culture-based methods. Such analytical confirmations directly from presumptive enrichments could replace or complement culture-based methods, provided regulatory frameworks evolve to validate and accept these approaches. This article discusses the limitations of culture-based confirmation methods and explores how analytical confirmation procedures could improve accuracy, speed, and efficiency in foodborne pathogen detection.