FOOD

An Overview of the
MICROBIOLOGY:
Evolution and
Importance of Food
Microbiology
HISTORY,
DEVELOPMENT,
AND SCOPE
 INTRODUCTION TO
FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
• Definition: The study of microorganisms in
food, including their beneficial and harmful
effects.

• Focus areas:
• Growth characteristics
• Identification
• Pathogenesis
• Key concerns:
• Food poisoning
• Food spoilage
• Food preservation
• Food legislation
• Importance: Addressing public health issues
and understanding microbial roles in food
 MICROORGANISMS
IN FOOD
• Most foods contain one or more types of
microorganisms
• Beneficial roles:
• Production of naturally fermented foods
• Harmful roles:
• Food spoilage
• Foodborne diseases
Importance of studying microorganisms:
• Isolation in pure culture
• Morphological, physiological, biochemical, and
genetic characterization
 HISTORY: PRE-SCIENTIFIC ERA
(PART 1)
• Development of
Food-gathering cooking techniques
period (1 million • Humans primarily • Introduction of • Food-producing period
years ago - 8,000 carnivorous plant foods (8,000-10,000 years
years ago): ago - present):

• Increased
• Development of
• Emergence of problems with
food storage
prepared foods spoilage and food
techniques
poisoning
 HISTORY: PRE-SCIENTIFIC ERA
(PART 2)

• Beer manufacture
• Pottery making • Boiler pots (8,000
Key developments: (7000 BC in
(5000 BC) years ago)
Babylonia)

• Livestock • Fermented
• Use of salt for • Wine production
breeding and dairy sausages (1500 BC,
food preservation (3500 BC,
production (3000 Babylonians and
(3000-1200 BC) Assyrians)
BC, Sumerians) Chinese)
 EARLY FOOD PRESERVATION
TECHNIQUES

SALTING OF MEATS MUMMIFICATION USE OF OILS SNOW PACKING SMOKING OF

AND FISH (RELATED TO (OLIVE AND FOR PERISHABLES MEATS
FOOD SESAME) (ROMANS)
PRESERVATION)

NOTE: LIMITED
UNDERSTANDING OF
CHEESE AND WINE PRESERVATION
PRODUCTION MECHANISMS AND
DISEASE
TRANSMISSION
 EARLY OBSERVATIONS OF
MICROORGANISMS
A. Kircher (1658): Observed
"worms" invisible to the Schwann (1837): Showed
naked eye in decaying heated infusions remained
substances sterile in the presence of air

early 18th
1658 1765 1837
century

L. Spallanzani (1765): D. Papin and G. Leibniz:

Demonstrated sterility of Hinted at heat preservation
boiled and sealed beef broth of foods
 • Nicolas Appert (1749-1841): French
inventor of modern canning
Key events:
• 1784: Opened a confectioner's store in Paris
• 1789-1793: Discovered food preservation process
• 1802: Established a cannery and began exporting products
• 1810: Published his method and received 12,000 francs award
Significance: Developed canning 50 years before Pasteur's work on
microorganisms

NICOLAS APPERT AND THE BIRTH OF

CANNING
LOUIS PASTEUR AND THE DAWN
OF FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
• Louis Pasteur's contributions:
• 1837: Demonstrated
microorganisms cause milk souring
• 1860: Introduced heat treatment
to destroy undesirable organisms in
wine and beer
• Pasteurization: Named after
Pasteur's heat treatment process
• Significance: First to truly
understand and appreciate the
role of microorganisms in food
 MILESTONES IN FOOD
PRESERVATION (1782-1908)
1782 1853 1855 1878 1890
Introduction of Patent for food Production of First Commercial
vinegar sterilization by powdered milk successful milk
canning autoclaving in England frozen meat pasteurization
cargo from begins in the
Australia to United States
England

Sodium
Commercial benzoate
introduction of officially
heating to Extensive use Milk sanctioned as a
First attempt at remove of ice in meat pasteurization food
steam undesirable transportation begins in preservative in
sterilization organisms by sea Germany the US

1843 1854 1874 1880 1908

 MILESTONES IN FOOD
PRESERVATION (1928-1997)
1928 1954 1990
First commercial use of Antibiotic nisin Approval of poultry
controlled-atmosphere patented for use in irradiation in the US
storage for apples processed cheeses

Approval of beef
irradiation in the US
Patent issued for high- Nisin accorded GRAS (fresh beef up to 4.5
energy radiation in food (Generally Regarded as kGy, frozen beef up to
processing Safe) status in the US 7.0 kGy)

1929 1988 1997

 MILESTONES IN FOOD
SPOILAGE RESEARCH
1659: Kircher 1780: Scheele 1857: Pasteur shows
demonstrates identifies lactic acid microorganisms
bacteria in milk in sour milk cause milk souring

1876: Tyndall
1867: Martin 1873: First study on observes bacterial
proposes cheese microbial origin in
ripening theory deterioration of eggs decomposing
substances

1887: Forster
1915: Isolation of
demonstrates
Bacillus coagulans
bacterial growth at
from coagulated milk
0°C
 MILESTONES IN FOOD POISONING
RESEARCH (1820-1951)
Description First isolation
First report Recognition of
of "sausage of Salmonella
enteritidis of Yersinia
poisoning" Discovery of streptococca
from Clostridium enterocolitica
(likely contaminated l food gastroenteriti
botulism) botulinum poisoning
meat s

1857 1894 1906 1938 1951

1820 1888 1896 1926 1939

Milk Association Campylobac Vibrio

Recognition parahaemolyti
identified as of of Bacillus ter enteritis
cus identified
typhoid staphylococ cereus food outbreaks as a food
fever ci with food poisoning traced to poisoning
transmitter poisoning milk agent
 MILESTONES IN FOOD POISONING
RESEARCH (1955-1986)
Recognition Documented First
Demonstrati outbreaks of
of scombroid Recognition Norwalk
on of foodborne
(histamine- of foodborne virus
Salmonella hemorrhagic
associated) giardiasis foodborne colitis in the
enterotoxin
poisoning outbreak US

1960 1971 1976 1981 1986

1955 1965 1975 1978 1982

Discovery of First US
First US
First diagnosis
aflatoxin outbreak of Recognition of
outbreaks of foodborne of bovine
production Yersinia
Vibrio spongiform
enterocolitica listeriosis
by parahaemolytic
gastroenteritis; outbreak in
encephalopathy
Aspergillus us and E. coli (BSE) in UK
Recognition of the US
gastroenteritis cattle
flavus infant botulism
 MILESTONES IN FOOD
LEGISLATION
US Oregon adopts
First national
Compulsory Poultry microbial
meat New York City Poultry and Inspection Bill standards for
inspection law requires milk retail meat
Poultry signed into
(for exports pasteurization (repealed in
Products law law
only) 1977)
enacted

1906 1939 1967 1969

1890 1910 1957 1968 1973

FDA
New Food, US establishes
US Federal
Drug, and Wholesome aflatoxin limits
Food and Drug
Cosmetic Act Meat Act for edible
Act passed
becomes law passed grains and
nuts
 MODERN FOOD MICROBIOLOGY:
KEY AREAS OF INTEREST

Foodborne Food Food

Water quality
diseases spoilage preservation

Quality Laboratory
Food hygiene
control management
CURRENT FRONTIERS IN
FOOD MICROBIOLOGY:
FERMENTATION AND
PROBIOTICS
• Genetic transfer for desirable metabolic
activities
• Development of bacteriophage-resistant
lactic acid bacteria
• Metabolic engineering for overproduction
of desirable metabolites
• Use of lactic acid bacteria to deliver
immunity proteins
• Genome sequencing of important lactic
acid bacteria and bacteriophages
• Food biopreservation using desirable
bacteria and antimicrobial metabolites
• Probiotic bacteria research and strain
development
• Improved methods for starter culture
production
 CURRENT FRONTIERS IN FOOD
MICROBIOLOGY: SPOILAGE AND
FOODBORNE DISEASES

•Spoilage:
• Identification and control of new spoilage bacteria
• Enzyme-related spoilage in frozen and refrigerated
foods
• Molecular methods for spoilage prediction
• Environmental stress effects on bacterial resistance
•Foodborne Diseases:
• Detection of emerging pathogenic bacteria
• Rapid detection using molecular biology techniques
• Control of foodborne viruses and parasites
• Transmission of prion diseases
• Antibiotic resistance in foodborne pathogens
• Pathogen adherence to food and equipment
surfaces
• Mechanisms of pathogenicity
• Epidemiology of foodborne diseases
 CURRENT FRONTIERS IN FOOD
MICROBIOLOGY: MISCELLANEOUS AREAS

Application of Novel food Microbiology Total quality Food safety Environmenta Microbial
Hazard processing of ready-to- management legislation l stress control in
Analysis technologies eat foods (farm to table effects on unprocessed
Critical microbial pathogen and low-heat-
Control Points control) detection and processed
(HACCP) destruction foods
 CONCLUSION: THE EVOLUTION AND
IMPORTANCE OF FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
• Food preservation: A cornerstone of human
civilization
• Historical progression: From empirical practices
to scientific understanding
• Current focus: Molecular-level investigations of
microbes in food
• Importance for food microbiologists:
• Understanding historical developments
• Keeping abreast of current research
• Knowledge of microorganism characteristics in
food
• Ongoing impact: Ensuring food safety, quality,
and innovation in the food industry