Bacterial Communication in Foods


Book Description

It is generally assumed that microorganisms synthesize, release, detect and respond to small signaling hormone-like molecules. These molecules are used for a process termed “quorum sensing” (QS), a phenomenon that enables bacteria to sense when the minimal number of cells, or “quorum,” is achieved for a concerted response to be initiated. Words such as “language” and “behavior” are frequently used to depict QS in the literature. More simply put, language and cross-talk between bacteria, and between bacteria and animal or plant hosts, determines the behavior (e.g., beneficial or pathogenic effects) of bacteria. Currently, the major concern is to understand and decode this language. Overall, bacterial cross-talk was mainly studied on environmental, plant, and human pathogenic bacteria. Few studies considered food-related lactic acid bacteria. The cross-talk between bacteria influences the behavior and, in turn, the environmental adaptation and phenotypes. Therefore, it is understood that bacterial cross-talk has important applicative repercussions. The language spoken between bacteria populating the same food ecosystem may condition the phenotypic traits of starter lactic acid bacteria and, consequently, their performance. This Brief aims to define the basis of cell-to-cell signalling in food fermentation and will highlight: (i) microbiology, nutritional, chemical and functional aspects; (ii) functional properties due to microbial adaptation to the gastrointestinal tract; (iii) principal phenotypes under control of QS circuitries; (iv) quorum quenching. This Brief will be the first reference on this topic and it will highlight the main results for a more productive industrial application. Draft content 1. Signals of food related Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria The chapter will describe the different signaling languages used by Gram-negative bacteria (N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones) and Gram-positive bacteria (based on the synthesis of post-translationally modified peptides) and the universal chemical lexicon, shared by both Gram-positive and -negative bacteria (autoinducer-2 through the activity of the LuxS enzyme). 2. Phenotypes related to quorum sensing The chapter will describe the bacterial phenotypes, such as virulence, biofilm maturation, bacteriocin synthesis, and secondary metabolite production under control of QS circuitries. 3. Cell-to-cell signalling in fermented food: sourdough The chapter will describe the language spoken between bacteria populating the same food ecosystem (sourdough) and will provide an overview of the conditioned phenotypic traits of starter lactic acid bacteria and, consequently, their performance. 4. Cell-to-cell signalling in fermented food: yoghurt The chapter will describe the language spoken between bacteria populating the same food ecosystem (yoghurt) and will provide an overview of the conditioned phenotypic traits of starter lactic acid bacteria and, consequently, their performance. 5. Probiotic message at the intra-, inter-species and inter-kingdom level The chapter will describe the mechanisms that regulate the interaction between microorganism and host, and the capacity of the microorganism to adapt to environment. Particular reference will also be made to: (i) pathogen inhibition and restoration of microbial homeostasis through microbe-microbe interactions; (ii) enhancement of epithelial barrier function; and (iii) modulation of immune responses. 6. New Perspectives of quorum sensing This chapter will provide an overview of the future perspective regarding quorum sensing, showing that bacterial cross-talk may have important applicative repercussions. It will highlight the interference on the language of QS, which is defined as quorum quenching (QQ). Increasing translation of the bacterial cross-talk has shown that in some environmental circumstances, quenching of the language may occur.




Quantitative Microbiology in Food Processing


Book Description

Microorganisms are essential for the production of many foods, including cheese, yoghurt, and bread, but they can also cause spoilage and diseases. Quantitative Microbiology of Food Processing: Modeling the Microbial Ecology explores the effects of food processing techniques on these microorganisms, the microbial ecology of food, and the surrounding issues concerning contemporary food safety and stability. Whilst literature has been written on these separate topics, this book seamlessly integrates all these concepts in a unique and comprehensive guide. Each chapter includes background information regarding a specific unit operation, discussion of quantitative aspects, and examples of food processes in which the unit operation plays a major role in microbial safety. This is the perfect text for those seeking to understand the quantitative effects of unit operations and beyond on the fate of foodborne microorganisms in different foods. Quantitative Microbiology of Food Processing is an invaluable resource for students, scientists, and professionals of both food engineering and food microbiology.




Microbial Contamination and Food Degradation


Book Description

Microbial Contamination and Food Degradation, Volume 10 in the Handbook of Food Bioengineering series, provides an understanding of the most common microbial agents involved in food contamination and spoilage, and highlights the main detection techniques to help pinpoint the cause of contamination. Microorganisms may cause health-threatening conditions directly by being ingested together with contaminated food, or indirectly by producing harmful toxins and factors that can cause food borne illness. This resource discusses the potential sources of contamination, the latest advances in contamination research and strategies to prevent contamination using key methods of analysis and evaluation. - Presents modern alternatives for avoiding microbial spoilage and food degradation using preventative and intervention technologies - Provides key methods for addressing microbial contamination and preventing food borne illness through research and risk assessment analysis - Includes detailed information on bacterial contamination problems in different environmental environments and the methodologies to help solve those problems




Implication of Quorum Sensing and Biofilm Formation in Medicine, Agriculture and Food Industry


Book Description

The book illustrates the role of quorum sensing in the food industry, agriculture, veterinary sciences, and medicine. It highlights the importance of quorum sensing in regulating diverse cellular functions in microbes, including virulence, pathogenesis, controlled-gene expression systems, and antibiotic resistance. This book also describes the role of quorum sensing in survival behavior and antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Further, it reviews the major role played by quorum sensing in food spoilage, biofilm formation, and food-related pathogenesis. It also explores the methods for the detection and quantification of quorum sensing signals. It also presents antimicrobial and anti-quorum sensing activities of medicinal plants. Finally, the book elucidates a comprehensive yet representative description of basic and applied aspects of quorum sensing inhibitors. This book serves an ideal guide for researchers to understand the implications of quorum sensing in the food industry, medicine, and agriculture.




The Use of Drugs in Food Animals


Book Description

The use of drugs in food animal production has resulted in benefits throughout the food industry; however, their use has also raised public health safety concerns. The Use of Drugs in Food Animals provides an overview of why and how drugs are used in the major food-producing animal industriesâ€"poultry, dairy, beef, swine, and aquaculture. The volume discusses the prevalence of human pathogens in foods of animal origin. It also addresses the transfer of resistance in animal microbes to human pathogens and the resulting risk of human disease. The committee offers analysis and insight into these areas: Monitoring of drug residues. The book provides a brief overview of how the FDA and USDA monitor drug residues in foods of animal origin and describes quality assurance programs initiated by the poultry, dairy, beef, and swine industries. Antibiotic resistance. The committee reports what is known about this controversial problem and its potential effect on human health. The volume also looks at how drug use may be minimized with new approaches in genetics, nutrition, and animal management.




Microbial Food Safety in Animal Agriculture


Book Description

In answer to public concerns, Microbial Food Safety in Animal Agriculture: Current Topics provides timely information on this area of increasing importance, giving a broad overview of pre-harvest microbial food safety. Written by specialists from around the world, this essential reference focuses on research in the areas of antimicrobial resistance, risk assessment, microbial detection methods and diagnostics, and emerging diseases. Coverage provides balanced overviews of Federal, industry, and academic perspectives on key issues in food safety. Specific organisms explored in depth include: Salmonellaspp., Campylobacterspp., Escherichia coli 0157:H7, and Listeria monocytogene. No other single source offers current information and detailed references on issues in pre-harvest food safety in production animal agriculture. Veterinarians, researchers, and food safety professionals in academia, government agencies, and food animal production industries will discover this resource crucial to defensive awareness.




Microbial Food Safety


Book Description

This interdisciplinary textbook provides the reader with vital information and comprehensive coverage of foodborne microbial pathogens of potential risk to human consumers. It includes human pathogens and toxins originating from plants, fungi and animal products and considers their origin, risk, prevention and control. From the perspectives of microorganisms and humans, the authors incorporate concepts from the social and economic sciences as well as microbiology, providing synergies to learn about complex food systems as a whole, and each stage that can present an opportunity to reduce risk of microbial contamination. Microbial Food Safety: A Food Systems Approach explains concepts through a food supply network model to show the interactions between how humans move food through the global food system and the impacts on microorganisms and risk levels of microbial food safety. Written by authors renowned in the field and with extensive teaching experience, this book is essential reading for upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate students of food microbiology, food safety and food science, in addition to professionals working in these areas.




Handbook of Dairy Foods Analysis


Book Description

Dairy foods account for a large portion of the Western diet, but due to the potential diversity of their sources, this food group often poses a challenge for food scientists and their research efforts. Bringing together the foremost minds in dairy research, Handbook of Dairy Foods Analysis, Second Edition, compiles the top dairy analysis techniques and methodologies from around the world into one well-organized volume. Exceptionally comprehensive in both its detailing of methods and the range of dairy products covered, this handbook includes tools for analyzing chemical and biochemical compounds and also bioactive peptides, prebiotics, and probiotics. It describes noninvasive chemical and physical sensors and starter cultures used in quality control. This second edition includes four brand-new chapters covering the analytical techniques and methodologies for determining bioactive peptides, preservatives, activity of endogenous enzymes, and sensory perception of dairy foods, and all other chapters have been adapted to recent research. All other chapters have been thoroughly updated. Key Features: Explains analytical tools available for the analysis of the chemistry and biochemistry of dairy foods Covers a variety of dairy foods including milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, and ice cream Analysis of nutritional quality includes prebiotics, probiotics, essential amino acids, bioactive peptides, and healthy vegetable-origin compounds Includes a series of chapters on analyzing sensory qualities, including color, texture, and flavor. Covering the gamut of dairy analysis techniques, th e book discusses current methods for the analysis of chemical and nutritional compounds, and the detection of microorganisms, allergens, contaminants, and/or other adulterations, including those of environmental origin or introduced during processing. Other methodologies used to evaluate color, texture, and flavor are also discussed. Written by an international panel of distinguished contributors under the editorial guidance of renowned authorities, Fidel Toldrá and Leo M.L. Nollet, this handbook is one of the few references that is completely devoted to dairy food analysis – an extremely valuable reference for those in the dairy research, processing, and manufacturing industries.




Microbial Mitigation of Stress Response of Food Legumes


Book Description

Microbial Mitigation of Stress Responses of Food Legumes provides knowledge on the impact of abiotic and biotic stress on the agriculture of grain legumes especially pulses and it critically reviews the cutting-edge research in exploring plant microbe interactions to mitigate the stress. It helps in understanding the fundamentals of microbial-mediated management of abiotic and biotic stress in grain legumes. Salient features: Describes the usefulness of microbiome of plant/insects for enhancing the production of grain legumes Focuses on recent advances in microbial methods for mitigating the stress and their application in sustainability of legume production Provides a unique collection of microbial data for the improvement of legume productivity Details microbial metabolites at the gene and molecule levels for plant stress management The reader will get all essential and updated information on various stress factors, crop responses, and microbial-mediated stress management for better food legume production.




Microbial Food Safety and Preservation Techniques


Book Description

In recent years, rapid strides have been made in the fields of microbiological aspects of food safety and quality, predictive microbiology and microbial risk assessment, microbiological aspects of food preservation, and novel preservation techniques. Written by the experts and pioneers involved in many of these advances, Microbial Food Safety and P