Methods used to detect and enumerate S. aureus depend on the reasons for testing the food and on the past history of the test material. Processed foods may contain relatively small numbers of debilitated viable cells, whose presence must be demonstrated by appropriate means. Analysis of food for S. aureus may lead to legal action against the party or parties responsible for a contaminated food. The methods of analysis for S. aureus that have been studied collaboratively and found suitable for use in providing the type of information necessary for FDA requirements are presented in this chapter.