E. COLI O157:H7, ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS OFTEN RESULTS FROM CONSUMING CONTAMINATED FOOD AND WATER. ITS ABILITY TO PRODUCE SHIGA-LIKE TOXINS OFTEN LEAD TO COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS HEMORRHAGIC COLITIS AND HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA. ALTHOUGH THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) DOES ITS BEST TO PREVENT THE SALE OF CONTAMINATED FOODS, THE CURRENT DETECTION METHODS AREN'T ALWAYS A VIABLE OPTION FOR FASTER FOOD TESTING. THIS ISSUE IS AMPLIFIED IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WHO DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE MEANS TO SCREEN FOODS BEFORE CONSUMPTION. THEREFORE, IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR RESEARCHERS TO FIND A FAST, SIMPLE, AND RELIABLE METHOD OF BACTERIAL DETECTION FOR THE BENEFIT OF PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS ALIKE. THE GOAL OF THIS STUDY IS TO DEVELOP A SIMPLE MAGNETIC RELAXATION PLATFORM WITH PLASMONIC PROPERTIES THAT IS USER-FRIENDLY, RAPID, AND COST-EFFECTIVE AND AT THE SAME TIME CAN BE USED IN FIELD CONDITIONS FOR FOOD-SAFETY APPLICATIONS. THIS TECHNOLOGY WOULD BRING MORE SENSITIVE METHODSFOR THE EFFECTIVE DETECTION OF E. COLI O157:H7 AND OTHER BACTERIAL CONTAMINATIONS IN FOOD.