Salmonella remains one of the most important zoonotic pathogenic bacteria and is the causative agents of salmonellosis. The aim of this article is to give an overview of Salmonella and salmonellosis, starting by describing the characteristics of the microorganism Salmonella, including biochemical properties, physiology, classification, and nomenclature. Thereafter, the epidemiology of the organism is introduced, including the routes of transmission. Finally, the disease salmonellosis, the virulence mechanisms, and the occurrence in different types of food are described. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.