Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is a molecular-based subtyping strategy that uses a suitable DNA restriction endonuclease enzyme to cut genomic DNA into several large linear fragments, that can be separated based on their sizes. PFGE has been successfully applied to the subtyping of many pathogenic bacteria, including Cronobacter species, and it is commonly considered as a "gold standard" in epidemiological studies.