Those who monitor disease detection policy note that it’s cheaper and faster to move away from a system that relies heavily on the time-consuming growth in the lab of cultures of disease-causing bugs.

But moving to “advanced molecular detection” technology to reap those advantages could create new problems if the transition isn’t managed properly, experts say.

Roll Call reports that the PulseNet system of labs for tracking foodborne illness relies on cultures to make a diagnosis rather than the culture-free approach AMD allows. That may make it important to move to the new system now, while the nation still has that PulseNet capability as a backup.

That would also retain scientists’ ability to identify certain strains of diseases and the power to trace foodborne outbreaks back to their source.