Standardizing Genomic Surveillance Methods for Enhanced Food Safety

Genomic surveillance of foodborne pathogens increasingly depends on well-characterized reference materials to support method development, quality assurance, and cross-laboratory comparability. Authenticated, low-passage strains of Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes, and Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli are routinely used to standardize assays for food testing and validate analytical workflows. To meet the growing demands of whole-genome sequencing (WGS)–based surveillance, a standardized strain set was developed by the FDA to align with the performance criteria of the FDA GenomeTrakr Network. These strains are available as both live cultures and quantified genomic DNA, with publicly accessible sequence data. The strain set enables laboratories to assess end-to-end WGS performance, from DNA extraction through bioinformatics analysis. These materials provide reproducible benchmarks for SNP calling, phylogenetic clustering, and outbreak investigation, supporting the harmonization of genomic surveillance practices across institutions. Their implementation facilitates consistent data quality, improves method transparency, and strengthens the scientific basis for identifying and tracking foodborne pathogens in public health and food safety.