We developed single base extension-tags (SBE-tags) microarray to detect eight common food-borne pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Enterobacter sakazaki, Shigella, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter jejuni. With specific PCR primers identified and integrated for eight food-borne pathogens, target sequences were amplified and purified as template DNA of single base extension-tags reaction. The products were hybridized to microarrays and scanned for fluorescence intensity. The experiment showed a specific and simultaneous detection of eight food-borne pathogens. The system limits is 0.1 pg for a genomic DNA and 5x10(2) CFU/mL for Salmonella typhimurium cultures. The single base extension-tags assay can be used to detect food-borne pathogens rapidly and accurately with a high sensitivity, and provide an efficient way for diagnosis and control of disease caused by food-borne pathogens.