Practical Food Microbiology

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Ecology of fermented food. 3. Folds on food: are they dangerous?. 4. Beverages and foods from fungi: distillation, fungi as food. 5. Climate change: implications for food safety. 6. Role of Lactic Acid Bacteria LAB in food preservation. 7. Guidelines for the evaluation of probiotics in food. 8. Treatment of food waste material by effective microorganism and its use. 9. Food poisoning. 10. Risk assessment of food borne bacterial pathogens. 11. Food fermentations: role of microorganisms in food production and preservation. 12. Food storage, food spoilage and foodorne ilness. 13. Probiotic bacteria in fermented foods. 14. Quantitative microbiology: a basis for food safety. Bibliography. Index.

Food Microbiology is the study of the microorganisms that inhabit, create or contaminate food. Of major importance is the study of microorganisms causing food spoilage. Good bacteria however such as probiotics are becoming increasingly important in food science. In addition, microorganisms are essential for the production of foods such as cheese, yogurt other fermented foods bread beer and wine. Food safety is a major focus of food microbiology. Pathogenic bacteria viruses and toxins produced by microorganisms are all possible contaminants of food. However microorganisms and their products can also be used to combat these pathogenic microbes. Probiotic bacteria including those that produce bacteriocins, can kill and inhibit pathogens. (jacket)