A rapid and sensitive technique, based on the magnetic immuno-polymerase chain reaction assay (MIPA), was developed for the detection of Campylobacter jejuni in milk and chicken products. Target bacteria are captured from the food sample by magnetic particles coated with a specific antibody and the bound bacteria then lysed and subjected to PCR. The MIPA could detect 420 cfu g-1 of chicken after 18 h, 42 cfu g-1 after 24 h, and 4.2 cfu g-1 after 36 h enrichment. For artificially contaminated milk 63 cfu ml-1 could be detected after 18 and 24 h and 6.3 cfu ml-1 after 36 h enrichment.