Safety And Microbiological Quality

The safety and microbiological quality of fermented foods covers complementary aspects of such products. Food fermentation is primary intended to improve food preservation, thereby modifying food properties. However, the management of chemical and microbiological hazards is a leading aspect for innovative processing in this domain. Similarly, microbiological quality in fermented foods is of peculiar importance: all microorganisms with a positive effect, including probiotic bacteria, fermentative bacteria, Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeasts, can be relevant. The fitness of pro-technological microorganisms impacts nutritional quality, but also sensory properties and processing reliability. This book provides a broad view of factors which determine the safety and microbiological quality of fermented foods. A focus is made on the interconnection between starter properties and the expectations related to a probiotic effect. All chapters underline the involvement of fermented foods towards better resource management and increasing food and nutritional security, especially in developing countries.

This authoritative two-volume reference provides valuable, necessary information on the principles underlying the production of microbiologically safe and stable foods. The work begins with an overview and then addresses four major areas: 'Principles and application of food preservation techniques' covers the specific techniques that defeat growth of harmful microorganisms, how those techniques work, how they are used, and how their effectiveness is measured. 'Microbial ecology of different types of food' provides a food-by-food accounting of food composition, naturally occurring microflora, effects of processing, how spoiling can occur, and preservation. 'Foodborne pathogens' profiles the most important and the most dangerous microorganisms that can be found in foods, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, mycotoxins, and 'mad cow disease.' The section also looks at the economic aspects and long-term consequences of foodborne disease. 'Assurance of the microbiological safety and quality of foods' scrutinizes all aspects of quality assurance, including HACCP, hygienic factory design, methods of detecting organisms, risk assessment, legislation, and the design and accreditation of food microbiology laboratories. Tables, photographs, illustrations, chapter-by-chapter references, and a thorough index complete each volume. This reference is of value to all academic, research, industrial and laboratory libraries supporting food programs; and all institutions involved in food safety, microbiology and food microbiology, quality assurance and assessment, food legislation, and generally food science and technology.

The safety and microbiological quality of fermented foods covers complementary aspects of such products. Food fermentation is primary intended to improve food preservation, thereby modifying food properties. However, the management of chemical and microbiological hazards is a leading aspect for innovative processing in this domain. Similarly, microbiological quality in fermented foods is of peculiar importance: all microorganisms with a positive effect, including probiotic bacteria, fermentative bacteria, Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeasts, can be relevant. The fitness of pro-technological microorganisms impacts nutritional quality, but also sensory properties and processing reliability. This book provides a broad view of factors which determine the safety and microbiological quality of fermented foods. A focus is made on the interconnection between starter properties and the expectations related to a probiotic effect. All chapters underline the involvement of fermented foods towards better resource management and increasing food and nutritional security, especially in developing countries.

This book addresses the basic understanding of food contaminants and their sources, followed by the techniques to measure food safety and quality. It is divided into four parts: Part A - sources of contaminants in foods, their associated health risks, and integrated management and alternative options to minimize contaminants; Part B - Technological assessment of conventional methods and selected advanced methods for the detection, identification and enumeration of microbial contaminates; Part C - Technological assessment of different chemical measurements techniques; and Part D – Technological assessment of different instrumental techniques to assess sensory properties of foods. Food safety is a growing concern due to the increase in food-borne illnesses caused by food adulteration, excessive use of pesticides, use of chemical preservatives and artificial fruit ripening agents, microbial contaminations, and improper food handling. Chemical contaminants in food could be transferred from environmental or agrochemical sources, personal care products, and other by-products of water disinfects. In addition, microbial food safety can be threatened due to the presence of many pathogens, such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Clostridium botulinum, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes in foods. Globally, strict regulations are imposed to limit the potential contaminants in foods. Development of accurate, rapid, and inexpensive approaches to test food contamination and adulteration would be highly valued to ensure global food safety. There are existing processes to ensure safety of food products from chemical and microbial contaminants. Apart from the existing measurement technologies, varieties of new techniques are also being emerged and these could be potential to ensure food safety and quality. In addition to chemical and microbial properties, sensory properties such as texture, mouth feel, flavor, and taste, are among the most important attributes of food products to ensure their acceptability by consumers. Two approaches are available to evaluate sensory properties of food products, namely subjective and objective analyses. The responses are perceived by all five senses: smell, taste, sight, touch, and hearing. The approach used in sensory evaluation varies depending on the types of foods and the ultimate goal of the testing. Sensory attributes are the most important quality parameters after ensuring the safety of foods.

In recent years, cases of food-borne illness have been on the rise and are creating a significant public health challenge worldwide. This situation poses a health risk to consumers and can cause economic loss to the food service industry. Identifying the current issues in food safety practices among the industry players is critical to bridge the gap between knowledge, practices, and regulation compliance. Food Safety Practices in the Restaurant Industry presents advanced research on food safety practices investigated within food service establishments as an effort to help the industry pinpoint risks and non-compliance relating to food safety practices and improve the practices in preventing food-borne illnesses from occurring. Covering a range of topics such as food packaging, safety audits, consumer awareness, and standard safety practices, it is ideal for food safety and service professionals, food scientists and technologists, policymakers, restaurant owners, academicians, researchers, teachers, and students.

Food safety regulators face a daunting task: crafting food safety performance standards and systems that continue in the tradition of using the best available science to protect the health of the American public, while working within an increasingly antiquated and fragmented regulatory framework. Current food safety standards have been set over a period of years and under diverse circumstances, based on a host of scientific, legal, and practical constraints. Scientific Criteria to Ensure Safe Food lays the groundwork for creating new regulations that are consistent, reliable, and ensure the best protection for the health of American consumers. This book addresses the biggest concerns in food safetyâ€"including microbial disease surveillance plans, tools for establishing food safety criteria, and issues specific to meat, dairy, poultry, seafood, and produce. It provides a candid analysis of the problems with the current system, and outlines the major components of the task at hand: creating workable, streamlined food safety standards and practices.