This International Standard defines terms for the detection of food-borne pathogens in foodstuffs, and isolates obtained from them, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This International Standard also specifies requirements for the amplification and detection of nucleic acid sequences (DNA or RNA after reverse transcription) by real-time PCR. The minimum requirements laid down in this International Standard provide the basis for comparable and reproducible results within individual and between different laboratories. This International Standard is also applicable, for example, to the detection of food-borne pathogens in environmental samples and in animal feeding stuffs. NOTE Because of the rapid progress in this field, the examples given are those most frequently in use at the time of development of this International Standard.