Pathogens in raw foods: what the salad bar can learn from the raw bar

Recent Salmonella outbreaks associated with consumption of fresh produce have increased public concern for the safety of raw food products, perhaps signaling a paradigm shift in approaches to food safety. Limitations to our capacity to ensure that raw foods are safe for the consumer include the availability of sufficiently rapid and reliable technology for prevention, intervention, and risk assessment. Other food products, such as shellfish, with greater historical precedent for real or perceived public health risk may offer perspective and insight into strategies for meeting these challenges. This review documents current practices for pathogen prevention and detection in raw oysters and presents technological advances and impediments that determine the application of these methods.