A rapid PCR method was compared to the US FDA cultural method for recovery and identification of Listeria monocytogenes in food. Specific oligonucleotide primers derived from the gene coding for hemolysin (hylA) and the invasion associated protein (iap) were used with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify L. monocytogenes. Pasteurized claw crabmeat, vanilla ice cream, tuna salad, tuna, nonfat dry milk, infant formula, brie cheese, ham and cheese on wheat sandwich, and tuna on wheat sandwich samples were each spiked with different numbers of viable L. monocytogenes log phase cells and were assayed by PCR and conventional cultural method. At higher levels of inoculation the assay systems were equally efficient. The cultural method was more sensitive only at low levels of initial inoculation. One hundred (100) previously isolated Listeria isolates were tested by both methods. Eighty-five (85) of those isolates were confirmed by hemolysin and Camp tests. One hundred seventy-four (174) samples obtained from various food matrices were also assayed by both techniques. Fourteen were positive and 160 were negative for Listeria monocytogenes by both PCR and BAM methods. The PCR method is sensitive, rapid and specific for L. monocytogenes detection. Its use is recommended as a screening tool.