Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is one of the new buzzwords in food safety. This article is a brief review of what WGS is and how it has revolutionized food safety in recent years. It has now become an integral part of public health surveillance and is increasingly used by the food industry in the United States and abroad to study foodborne bacterial pathogens, indicator and spoilage organisms, and the spread of antimicrobial resistance, virulence, and more. WGS in food safety has particularly focused on bacteria (the subject of this article), but it is equally efficient to use with viruses and parasites.
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