New advances in sequencing technology could help transform the way microbial food safety is managed both within our own laboratory network and throughout the global supply chain. The implementation of rapid whole-genome sequencing (WGS) could help transform microbial risk surveillance across the food industry from a factory and ingredient surveillance approach to a more preventive approach—one in which we can identify outbreak indicators to predict, and take steps to prevent, a problem before it even occurs. The reduction in cost per sample, while maintaining a practical testing time, could provide vital tools during incident investigations, enabling manufacturers to make rapid, informed decisions on product releases to ensure the supply chain—and therefore the consumer—is safe from microbial contamination.
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