The discrepancies found between qPCR and plate counts in the
analysis of authentic food supplement samples highlights the need
to apply the former method to confirm the absence of hazardous
bacteria and exclude microbiological risks. Indeed, according to the
results obtained in this study, it is possible that a portion of the
bacterial population is not detectable by means of growth tests, so
that the development and application of qPCR tests specific for
potential pathogenic contaminants is desirable to improve vigilance
on herbal supplements and indicate the overall hygiene of the
production process.