THE MARKET FOR MEAT ANALOG PRODUCTS HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST DECADE; HOWEVER, THESE PRODUCTS ARE AT RISK OF CONTAMINATION WITH SALMONELLA. CURRENT REGULATORY METHODS, DEVELOPED FOR ANIMAL-BASED MEAT PRODUCTS, ARE EXPENSIVE, TIME-CONSUMING, AND NOT OPTIMIZED FOR MEAT ANALOGS. PRELIMINARY DATA ON DETECTION OF SALMONELLA IN MEAT ANALOGS, COLLECTED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA), SUGGESTS THAT THE USE OF AN ALTERNATIVE PRE-ENRICHMENT BROTH COMBINED WITH RAPID MOLECULAR SCREENING METHODS IMPROVES DETECTION AND REDUCES TIME AND LABOR. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL CARRY OUT A SINGLE-LABORATORY VALIDATION STUDY TO OPTIMIZE PROCEDURES FOR THE DETECTION OF SALMONELLA IN MEAT ANALOG PRODUCTS. SPECIFICALLY, THE PROJECT WILL ADDRESS KEY PRIORITIES IN FOOD SAFETY BY: (1) OPTIMIZING THE PRE-ENRICHMENT AND SCREENING METHODS USED FOR THE DETECTION OF S. ENTERICA IN PLANT-BASED MEAT ANALOG PRODUCTS TO REDUCE TIME, LABOR, EXPENSE, AND SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT NEEDS, AND (2) APPLYING THE NOVEL METHODS DEVELOPED FOR PLANT-BASED ANALOGS TO THE DETECTION OF S. ENTERICA IN FERMENTATION-BASED MEAT ANALOG PRODUCTS.THE RESULTS WILL ADVANCE AN ACCURATE, RAPID, AND COST-EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR DETECTING SALMONELLA ACROSS A VARIETY OF PLANT- AND FERMENTATION-BASED MEAT ANALOGS, WITH THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF DIRECTLY PROPOSING REGULATORY METHODS FOR ADOPTION BY FDA. AS SUCH, THE PROJECT ADDRESSES THE FOOD SAFETY AND DEFENSE PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY TO DEVELOP METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING, DETECTING, AND/OR ENUMERATING PATHOGENS OF RELATIVELY HIGH PUBLIC HEALTH RISK INCLUDING PERSISTENCE OR VIRULENCE.