Bacteriological Food Testing

The Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Public Health Laboratories (BPHL) provides outbreak related food testing throughout the state of Florida. This testing is only provided to active investigations being conducted by local County Health Departments. Testing is provided at the Jacksonville laboratory.

Contact your local County Health Department Environmental Health if you suspect a need for testing. 

County Contact Information | Florida Department of Health

Analytes Tested:

• Standard Plate Count (GFQ)
• Fecal Coliform (GFQ)
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Vibrio sp.
• Bacillus cereus
• Salmonella sp.
• Shigella sp.
• Campylobacter sp.
• Clostridium perfringens
• Listeria sp.
• STEC/EHEC/E. coli
• Other? Please call 904-791-1600

Sample Types
Food samples from a variety of sources (dairy, meat products, produce, ready to eat foods). Environmental swabs or sponges from environmental health investigations.

Cost of Service
No cost to County Health Departments.

Days of Service: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Required Forms: DH4073

Collection Media
No media for direct food samples. Laboratory will accept swabs (foam tipped for food sampling) or sponges (sponge stick with 10 ml neutralizing buffer).

Collection Instructions
Minimum of 25g/25mL of food/liquid samples.

Shipping/Delivery Instructions
Ship samples according to how the food was stored. If refrigerated, the sample needs to be shipped on frozen ice packs.

Any swabs or sponges should also be shipped on ice packs.

If samples are being sent for Saturday delivery, BPHL can accept and will store samples in refrigeration until testing can be started. 

For more information, please contact your local county environmental health for results.

BPHL does not accept samples from grocery stores. Only samples from local investigations are accepted.