Pathogens respond dynamically to their environment. Understanding their behaviour is critical both because of evidence of increased resistance to established sanitation and preservation techniques, and because of the increased use of minimal processing technologies which are more vulnerable to the development of resistance. Understanding pathogen behaviour summarises the wealth of recent research and its implications for the food industry.After two introductory chapters on ways of analysing and modelling pathogens, Part one summarises current research on what determines pathogenicity, stress response, adaptation and resistance. Part two reviews the behaviour of particular pathogens, reviewing virulence, stress response and resistance mechanisms in such pathogens as Salmonella, E.coli and Campylobacter. The final part of the book assesses how pathogens react and adapt to particular stresses from heat treatment and the effects of low temperature to the use of disinfectants and sanitisers.With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Understanding pathogen behaviour is a standard reference for the food industry in ensuring food safety. - Summarises the wealth of recent research in pathogen behaviour - Assesses implications for microbiologists and QA staff in the food industry

Developments such as the increasing globalization of the food industry, constant innovations in technologies and products, and changes in the susceptibility of populations to disease have all highlighted the problem of emerging pathogens, either newly discovered through more sensitive analytical methods, linked for the first time to disease in humans, or newly associated with a particular food. Designed for microbiologists and quality assurance professionals and for government and academic food safety scientists, this timely reference discusses ways of identifying emerging pathogens and includes chapters on individual pathogens, their epidemiology, methods of detection, and means of control.

The safety of poultry, meat, and eggs continues to be a major concern for consumers. As a result, there has been a wealth of research on identifying and controlling hazards at all stages on the supply chain. Food Safety Control in the Poultry Industry summarizes this research and its implications for all those involved in supplying and marketing poultry products. The book begins by analyzing the main hazards affecting poultry, meat, and eggs, both biological and chemical. It then discusses methods for controlling these hazards at different stages, from the farm through slaughter and carcass processing operations to consumer handling of poultry products. Further chapters review established and emerging techniques for decontaminating eggs or processed carcasses, from physical methods to the use of bacteriophage and bacteriocins. With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Food Safety Control in the Poultry Industry will be a standard reference for both academics and food companies.

Predicting the growth and behaviour of microorganisms in food has long been an aim in food microbiology research. In recent years, microbial models have evolved to become more exact and the discipline of quantitative microbial ecology has gained increasing importance for food safety management, particularly as minimal processing techniques have become more widely used. These processing methods operate closer to microbial death, survival and growth boundaries and therefore require even more precise models. Written by a team of leading experts in the field, Modelling microorganims in food assesses the latest developments and provides an outlook for the future of microbial modelling.Part one discusses general issues involved in building models of microbial growth and inactivation in foods, with chapters on the historical background of the field, experimental design, data processing and model fitting, the problem of uncertainty and variability in models and modelling lag-time. Further chapters review the use of quantitative microbiology tools in predictive microbiology and the use of predictive microbiology in risk assessment.The second part of the book focuses on new approaches in specific areas of microbial modelling, with chapters discussing the implications of microbial variability in predictive modelling and the importance of taking into account microbial interactions in foods. Predicting microbial inactivation under high pressure and the use of mechanistic models are also covered. The final chapters outline the possibility of incorporating systems biology approaches into food microbiology.Modelling microorganisms in food is a standard reference for all those in the field of food microbiology. - Assesses the latest developments in microbial modelling - Discusses the issues involved in building models of microbial growth - Chapters review the use of quantitative microbiology tools in predictive microbiology

The control of microbiological spoilage requires an understanding of a number of factors including the knowledge of possible hazards, their likely occurrence in different products, their physiological properties and the availability and effectiveness of different preventative measures. Food spoilage microorganisms focuses on the control of microbial spoilage and provides an understanding necessary to do this.The first part of this essential new book looks at tools, techniques and methods for the detection and analysis of microbial food spoilage with chapters focussing on analytical methods, predictive modelling and stability and shelf life assessment. The second part tackles the management of microbial food spoilage with particular reference to some of the major food groups where the types of spoilage, the causative microorganisms and methods for control are considered by product type. The following three parts are then dedicated to yeasts, moulds and bacteria in turn, and look in more detail at the major organisms of significance for food spoilage. In each chapter the taxonomy, spoilage characteristics, growth, survival and death characteristics, methods for detection and control options are discussed.Food spoilage microorganisms takes an applied approach to the subject and is an indispensable guide both for the microbiologist and the non-specialist, particularly those whose role involves microbial quality in food processing operations. - Looks at tools, techniques and methods for the detection and analysis of microbial food spoilage - Discusses the management control of microbial food spoilage - Looks in detail at yeasts, moulds and bacteria

Successful methods for the detection and investigation of outbreaks of foodborne disease are essential for ensuring consumer safety. Increased understanding of the transmission of pathogens in food chains will also assist efforts to safeguard public health. Tracing pathogens in the food chain reviews key aspects of the surveillance, analysis and spread of foodborne pathogens at different stages of industrial food production and processing. Part one provides an introduction to foodborne pathogen surveillance, outbreak investigation and control. Part two concentrates on subtyping of foodborne pathogens, with chapters on phenoytypic subtyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, as well as emerging methods. The vital topics of method validation and quality assurance are also covered. The focus in Part three is on particular techniques for the surveillance and study of pathogens, such as protein-based analysis, ribotyping and comparative genomics. Finally, Part four focuses on tracing pathogens in specific food chains, such as red meat and game, dairy, fish and shellfish. With its distinguished editors and international team of contributors, Tracing pathogens in the food chain is a standard reference for researchers, public health experts and food industry professionals concerned with the study and control of foodborne disease. - Reviews key aspects of the surveillance, analysis and spread of foodborne pathogens - Provides an overview of method validation and quality assurance - Examines the tracing of pathogens in specific food chains, such as red meat, game and dairy