The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) detection method was applied to detect Salmonella spp.in food. The specificity and sensitivity of this method were compared with real-time PCR and conventional detection method.MethodsThe fimY gene of Salmonella spp. was used to design LAMP primers, and then optimized LAMP reaction system. LAMP method was compared with real-time PCR and conventional detection methods in some aspects, such as specificity, sensitivity and practical food samples detection. ResultsThe specificity of LAMP method was tested by using 93targets and 31non-targets bacteria. The results showed that the LAMP method was highlyspecific to Salmonella spp.. No cross-reaction was founded. In pure culture, the sensitivity of LAMP was 6.4×10²cfu/ml, which was consistent with real-time PCR method. The detection limit of LAMP reached 2cfu/25g in base-material addition test. The detection of 45practical food samples showed the detection rate of LAMP was 11.1%, which was as same as real-time PCR and traditional methods.ConclusionThe LAMP detection method of Salmonella spp. established in this study has good specificity and sensitivity, which can apply to the rapid detection of Salmonella spp..