Microbial Decontamination In The Food Industry

The problem of creating microbiologically-safe food with an acceptable shelf-life and quality for the consumer is a constant challenge for the food industry. Microbial decontamination in the food industry provides a comprehensive guide to the decontamination problems faced by the industry, and the current and emerging methods being used to solve them.Part one deals with various food commodities such as fresh produce, meats, seafood, nuts, juices and dairy products, and provides background on contamination routes and outbreaks as well as proposed processing methods for each commodity. Part two goes on to review current and emerging non-chemical and non-thermal decontamination methods such as high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric fields, irradiation, power ultrasound and non-thermal plasma. Thermal methods such as microwave, radio-frequency and infrared heating and food surface pasteurization are also explored in detail. Chemical decontamination methods with ozone, chlorine dioxide, electrolyzed oxidizing water, organic acids and dense phase CO2 are discussed in part three. Finally, part four focuses on current and emerging packaging technologies and post-packaging decontamination.With its distinguished editors and international team of expert contributors, Microbial decontamination in the food industry is an indispensable guide for all food industry professionals involved in the design or use of novel food decontamination techniques, as well as any academics researching or teaching this important subject. - Provides a comprehensive guide to the decontamination problems faced by the industry and outlines the current and emerging methods being used to solve them - Details backgrounds on contamination routes and outbreaks, as well as proposed processing methods for various commodities including fresh produce, meats, seafood, nuts, juices and dairy products - Sections focus on emerging non-chemical and non-thermal decontamination methods, current thermal methods, chemical decontamination methods and current and emerging packaging technologies and post-packaging decontamination

Food is contaminated in the production chain and is the point of concern among the consumers and industries. There is also a considerable increase in foodborne outbreaks, which possess the challenge to industry associated with the production of processed food. Various strategies are used to prevent the contamination during postharvest stage, storage and distribution. Different methods are exploited for degrading or eliminating the microbial contamination from food commodities. The conventional techniques used for decontamination demanded a considerable requirement for novel technologies, which are efficient, environmental friendly, and cost-effective. Novel technologies efficiently remove the contamination without adversely affecting the nutritional properties and sensory characteristics of food material. There is a lack of scientific information on the microbial decontamination of different food commodities such as fruits, vegetables, cereals, sprouts, microgreens, meat, poultry, milk, nut, spices etc. under one umbrella. The application of conventional and novel technologies for improving the food safety of individual food commodities will be addresses in this book. Written by several experts in the field, this book is a valuable source for students, scientists, and professionals in food science, food microbiology, food technology, food processing, and other allied sciences.

Attempts to provide safer and higher quality fresh and minimally processed produce have given rise to a wide variety of decontamination methods, each of which have been extensively researched in recent years. Decontamination of Fresh and Minimally Processed Produce is the first book to provide a systematic view of the different types of decontaminants for fresh and minimally processed produce. By describing the different effects – microbiological, sensory, nutritional and toxicological – of decontamination treatments, a team of internationally respected authors reveals not only the impact of decontaminants on food safety, but also on microbial spoilage, vegetable physiology, sensory quality, nutritional and phytochemical content and shelf-life. Regulatory and toxicological issues are also addressed. The book first examines how produce becomes contaminated, the surface characteristics of produce related to bacterial attachment, biofilm formation and resistance, and sublethal damage and its implications for decontamination. After reviewing how produce is washed and minimally processed, the various decontamination methods are then explored in depth, in terms of definition, generation devices, microbial inactivation mechanisms, and effects on food safety. Decontaminants covered include: chlorine, electrolyzed oxidizing water, chlorine dioxide, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, peroxyacetic acid, essential oils and edible films and coatings. Other decontamination methods addressed are biological strategies (bacteriophages, protective cultures, bacteriocins and quorum sensing) and physical methods (mild heat, continuous UV light, ionizing radiation) and various combinations of these methods through hurdle technology. The book concludes with descriptions of post-decontamination methods related to storage, such as modified atmosphere packaging, the cold chain, and modeling tools for predicting microbial growth and inactivation. The many methods and effects of decontamination are detailed, enabling industry professionals to understand the available state-of-the-art methods and select the most suitable approach for their purposes. The book serves as a compendium of information for food researchers and students of pre- and postharvest technology, food microbiology and food technology in general. The structure of the book allows easy comparisons among methods, and searching information by microorganism, produce, and quality traits.

This brief reports about safety protocols in the food producing industry. Hygiene, i.e., the prevention of contamination and microbial infections, is of greatest importance in the industry, as are disinfection techniques, to prevent or to fight microbial contaminations and infections, and practical emerging concerns are centered around these fundamental concerns. The first part focuses on the attempts and possibilities to prevent microbial spreading. Part II discusses disinfection techniques and their risks, advantages and disadvantages. Current industry trends, such as the attempts to substitute chlorine in disinfection, are critically reviewed. In all, this brief volume discusses decision procedures and strategies that are being applied to prevent, reduce and fight microbial spreading. In particular, material that comes into contact with the foods, has to fulfill strict requirements. This aspect is explained in detail, and how little details can have great effects. The brief deals with the important question: is disinfection more an ally or an enemy?

The hygienic processing of food concerns both potential hazards in food products and the regulation, design, and management of food processing facilities. This second edition of Hygiene in Food Processing gives a revised overview of the practices for safe processing and incorporates additional chapters concerning pest control, microbiological environmental sampling, and the economics of food plants. Part one addresses microbial risks in foods and the corresponding regulation in the European Union. Part two discusses the hygienic design of food factory infrastructure, encompassing the design and materials for the factory itself, as well as food processing equipment. This edition includes a new chapter on the control of compressed gases used to pneumatically operate equipment. Part three focuses on cleaning and disinfection practices in food processing. The chapter on cleaning in place also considers more cost-effective systems, and complements the additional chapter on maintenance of equipment. These chapters also explore issues such as the hygiene of workers, potential infection by foreign bodies, and pest control. Further, the chapter on microbiological sampling explains how to calculate the risk of contamination depending on the product's environment. This essential second edition is useful to professionals responsible for hygiene in the food industry. It provides a comprehensive, yet concise and practical reference source for food plant managers, suppliers of food processing equipment, building contractors, and food inspectors looking for an authoritative introduction to hygiene regulation, hygienic design, and sanitation. - Provides a revised overview of the practices for safe processing - Incorporates additional chapters concerning pest control, microbiological environmental sampling, and the economics of food plants - This essential second edition is useful for professionals responsible for hygiene in the food industry

Sanitation in Food Processing is a guide to food process sanitation, which illustrates the principles with timely examples. It discusses the importance of training in food-plant sanitation programs, as well as regulatory programs relating to all aspects of food plant sanitation, including Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), the construction and design of food plants, and prevention of food-borne diseases. Comprised of 19 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of sanitation in food processing, good sanitation practices, and the ways to establish a successful food sanitation program. It then discusses factors to consider in the design and construction of food plants; sanitary design and operation of food processing and service equipment; microbial growth in foods; the importance of personal hygiene; and significant insects in the food industry. The reader is also introduced to ways of controlling insects, rodents, and birds in the food environment, while other chapters address sanitation in food packaging, storage, and transport. The book concludes with a summary of food laws and regulations. This book is a valuable resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students, food sanitarians, and others in the food-processing industry who want to learn more about the ways and means of ensuring the quality and safety of the food we eat.

"Microbial agents (particularly bacteria) represent the greatest risk to public health. The traditional end-product oriented food inspection systems are inadequate for identifying and eliminating the usually symptomless animal carriers of agents causing foodborne infections and intoxications. Modern, risk-based, prevention approaches are the only effective way to reduce the prevalence of these hazards from our foods. As an additional 'safety-valve' microbial decontamination procedures are currently being suggested and its implementation in industrial food processing has, at least in some parts of the world, met with governmental approval. The residues in foods of some non-microbial agents have more recently also caused substantial consumer disquiet. This equally applies to non-conventional foods containing GMO's. In this publication these issues are addressed by invited expert scientists from various disciplines, many of which have key-positions in EU-funded research programmes on these very topics and/or are advisers to international public health bodies. The editors firmly believe that the very nature of the theme, the excellence of the papers and the holistic approach chosen will draw an audience from both an industry and academic background."