Nestlé has opened the most advanced laboratories in the food industry to study food-borne pathogens that are harmful to human health.

The new facilities at the Nestlé Research Center in Switzerland will have a high level of "bio-containment," meaning certain areas will be sealed with access restricted to trained personnel who must wear protective clothing and adhere to strict hygiene procedures.

The company is using the most sophisticated scientific techniques available to refine the processes it uses to kill pathogens without destroying the nutritional value of its food.

“We constantly face familiar pathogens like salmonella, but there are newer threats as these pathogens evolve,” said Nestlé’s Chief Technology Officer Werner Bauer. “We have to stay one step ahead.

“The research done here will undoubtedly be a great asset for Nestlé, but we also have a responsibility to communicate and share the results with the scientific community and consumers, so everyone can benefit. Consumer health and safety are at very core of what we do today, and what we have always done. We need more data and more state-of-the-art technologies to guide our product development and to ensure our products continue to be absolutely safe.”