Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a rapid and sensitive technique which has been established as a valuable alternative for the conventional detection methods in food (Elizaquível, Gabald on, & Aznar, 2011). Compared with conventional PCR, multiplex PCR (mPCR) can detect two or more pathogens in a single analysis and would be quicker, easier, and cheaper to run. However, conventional mPCR cannot distinguish between live and dead bacteria (Wang et al., 2015). The DNA from dead bacteria can serve as atemplate during PCR amplification resulting in false positive results.A promising strategy to overcome this drawback relies on the use of nucleic acid intercalating dyes, such as propidium monoazide(PMA), as a sample pre-treatment prior to the mPCR. PMA is a DNA-intercalating dye that can selectively penetrate into dead cells with compromised membrane integrity and form a cross link with the DNA using its azide group upon light-exposure (Nocker,Cheung, & Camper, 2006). This modification results in elimination of DNA amplification from dead cells during PCR. Combining the rapid and sensitivity of mPCR, this procedure has become a convenient alternative method for the distinction between live and dead cells in the last few years (Forghani et al., 2015; Yang et al.,2013; Zhang et al., 2015a).