A commercially available colorimetric DNA hybridization test was compared with the USDA/FSIS conventional culture method for detection of salmonellae in naturally contaminated meat and poultry products and inoculated ground beef samples. All samples which were Salmonella-positive by the culture method were also positive by the DNA probe assay. There were no false-negative or false-positive results by the colorimetric DNA hybridization test, which was slightly more sensitive than the culture method.