Applied Microbiology

The study of food microbiology includes understanding not only the factors influencing the growth of microorganisms in food systems but also the means of controlling them. The most commonly used forms of bacteriological analysis in food microbiology are detection and enumeration. The presence of specific bacteria and their concentration must be determined, to assess and control safety hazards, the potential for spoilage or to ensure correct product characteristics. The bacteria of interest to food microbiology can be divided into infectious agents, causes of foodborne intoxication, spoilage, and processing aids. Metabolic activity of a bacterium may be considered as causing spoilage or as a processing aid depending upon the desirability of the changes that result.