Combining genomic sequencing data and artificial intelligence (AI), researchers have demonstrated the efficacy of a new approach for the untargeted detection of contaminants, antibiotics, and other food safety anomalies in bulk milk samples.  

CuratedFoodMetagenomicData (cFMD) is a new, open-source database for the collection of food microbial data. It currently includes the metagenomes of 2,533 foods, comprising more than 10,000 microbes, approximately half of which were previously unknown.

Advances in next-generation sequencing have allowed for an understanding of the microbial inhabitants that make up the microbiome in ways that culture-based techniques are limited. This article provides a broad overview of two genomic techniques and potential applications for their use by meat and poultry processors.