The Microbiological Quality of Food

1. Microbial Spoilage of Foods: Fundamentals

Part I: The Spoilers

2. Pseudomonas and Related Genera

3. Specific Spoilage Organisms (SSOs) in Fish

4. Spore-Forming Bacteria

5. Yeasts

6. Molds

Part II: A Focus on Food Spoilage

7. Spoilage of Milk and Dairy Products

8. Spoilage of Meat and Fish

9. Review of Vegetable Fermentations With Particular Emphasis on Processing Modifications, Microbial Ecology, and Spoilage

10. Wine Spoiling Phenomena

Part III: Future Trends in Food Spoilers

11. The Impact of Biofilms on Food Spoilage

12. Food Spoilage and Food Safety: Is There a Link?

The Microbiological Quality of Food: Foodborne Spoilers covers the microbiological spoilage of foods, with a focus on the spoilers, the foods themselves, and the signs of spoilage. The book addresses traditional spoilers (filamentous fungi, spore-forming bacteria, yeasts, SSO in fish), as well as some emerging spoilers (Pseudomonas), now recognized as primary targets. Sections also provide a brief overview of important foods (vegetables, milk and dairy products, meat, and fish) and addresses safety and economic loss. Details on the signs of spoilage, how to prevent spoilers, and methods of detecting spoilage and spoilage microorganisms in foods are also presented.

This is an authoritative reference for researchers, scientists and students who need to understand microbial spoilage, the impact of biofilm on the quality and safety of many foods, and the implications of biofilm for spoilage and shelf life. Hot topics covered by this book include the possible link between food spoilage and food safety as a consequence of antibiotic resistance spreading all over the world.

• Presents Definitions: taxonomy, definition of food spoilage according to the literature and regulatory frameworks
• Provides Case Studies: for some foods and emerging spoilers, along with examples of how to prolong the shelf life
• Includes Calculations/worked examples: models and practical examples to calculate the shelf life of foods and to design and effective method to inhibit spoilers

Dr. Antonio Bevilacqua is a researcher in food microbiology. He has received an MSc in Food Science and Technology and a PhD in Food Biotechnology (University of Foggia); the main topics of his research activity are table olives, fermented meat and micro-encapsulation, predictive microbiology (namely the use of the theory of the Design of Experiments and multivariate approaches), natural antimicrobials and alternative tools for food preservation, microbiology of starter cultures. He is the author of c. 150 papers.

Prof. Maria Rosaria Corbo is Associate Professor of Microbiology; she gained an MSc in Biology in the University of Bari (Italy) and a PhD in Food Biotechnology in the University of Foggia. Her research topics covers a wide range in food microbiology (minimally processed foods, fermented meat and fish, fermented vegetables, natural antimicrobials, homogenization and ultrasound as tools for food preservation, predictive microbiology); she is the author of c. 200 papers.

Prof. Milena Sinigaglia is the Professor Head of the Section of Predictive Microbiology; she received an MSc in Agricultural Science and a PhD in Food Biotechnology in the University of Bologna (Italy). She is Associate Editor for the Italian Journal of Food Science and her research topics cover a wide range (mathematical modeling of foodborne bacteria, natural antimicrobials and alternative approaches in food preservation, fermented foods). She is the author of c. 250 papers.