Abstract: Exploring the heterogeneity and growth of foodborne pathogenic bacteria in the human gastrointestinal tract and their interaction with the intestinal flora is of great significance for the control and prevention of foodborne pathogens. Artificial gastrointestinal tract models are designed based on the physiological processes taking place in the human gastrointestinal tract to simulate digestion and absorption in the body, which can partially or completely replace in vivo experiments. Therefore, the models are an important tool for studying the heterogeneity and pathogenic mechanism of foodborne pathogenic bacteria. The present article systematically reviews the application of simulated gastrointestinal models to study the heterogeneity of tolerance and drug resistance in foodborne pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract, which may provide a theoretical basis for studying the heterogeneity of foodborne pathogens in the human gastrointestinal tract. Besides, simulated gastrointestinal tract models are compared with animal models of infection with foodborne pathogens (in vivo gastrointestinal tract models). Finally, we comprehensively evaluate the application of simulated gastrointestinal tract models in the study of the heterogeneity of foodborne pathogens. We hope that this review will guide researches in building a more comprehensive and scientific food safety risk assessment system.

Key words: foodborne pathogens; heterogeneity; infection model; simulated gastrointestinal tract model