This study was conducted to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the impedance‐based microbiological method for the detection of Escherichia coli in foods within 24 h of testing. A Malthus Microbiological Analyzer system (Malthus System V, Malthus Instruments Ltd., Bury, United Kingdom), and a modified Malthus Coliform Broth Medium (MCBM), and an incubation temperature of 44C were used. The sensitivity of the impedance method was determined by testing E. coli‐negative food samples spiked with different concentrations of E. coli. The specificity of the method was determined by testing E. coli‐negative food samples spiked with Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The test results were compared with those obtained by the Most Probable Number (MPN) method. Milk, milk products, raw and ready‐to‐eat meats, and vegetables were tested for the presence of E. coli by both methods. The sensitivity of the impedance method and the MPN method for the detection of foods containing 101 CFU/g was 100% and 84.4%, respectively. Both methods had a specificity of 100% for food samples spiked with 101 CFU/g E. coli. The specificity of the impedance and the MPN methods for the detection of E. coli in naturally contaminated milk and meat samples was 100% and 95.7% respectively. E. coli was detected in foods by the impedance method within 4–24 h of testing at a detection limit of 1 CFU/mL. These results demonstrate that the impedance method can be used as a rapid and sensitive method for the detection of E. coli in foods.