Control of Salmonella and Other Bacterial Pathogens in Low-Moisture Foods


Book Description

The first and only comprehensive reference/solutions manual for managing food safety in low-moisture foods The first book devoted to an increasingly critical public health issue, Control of Salmonella and Other Bacterial Pathogens in Low-Moisture Foods reviews the current state of the science on the prevalence and persistence of bacterial pathogens in low-moisture foods and describes proven techniques for preventing food contamination for manufacturers who produce those foods. Many pathogens, such as Salmonella, due to their enhanced thermal resistance in dry environments, can survive the drying process and may persist for prolonged periods in low-moisture foods, especially when stored in refrigerated environments. Bacterial contamination of low-moisture foods, such as peanut butter, present a vexing challenge to food safety, and especially now, in the wake of widely publicized food safety related events, food processors urgently need up-to-date, practical information on proven measures for containing the risk of contamination. While much has been written on the subject, until now it was scattered throughout the world literature in scientific and industry journals. The need for a comprehensive treatment of the subject has never been greater, and now this book satisfies that need. Discusses a wide variety of foods and evaluates multiple processing platforms from the standpoint of process validation of all food safety objectives for finished food products Takes a practical approach integrating the latest scientific and technological advances in a handy working resource Presents all known sources and risk factors for pathogenic bacteria of concern in the manufacturing environment for low-moisture/water activity products Characterizes the persistence and thermal resistance of bacterial pathogens in both the environment and most low-moisture food products Control of Salmonella and Other Bacterial Pathogens in Low-Moisture Foods is a much-needed resource for food microbiologists and food industry scientists, as well as managers and executives in companies that produce and use low-moisture foods. It also belongs on the reference shelves of food safety regulatory agencies worldwide.




The Microbiological Safety of Low Water Activity Foods and Spices


Book Description

Low water activity (aw) and dried foods such as dried dairy and meat products, grain-based and dried ready-to-eat cereal products, powdered infant formula, peanut and nut pastes, as well as flours and meals have increasingly been associated with product recalls and foodborne outbreaks due to contamination by pathogens such as Salmonella spp. and enterohemorrhagic E. coli. In particular, recent foodborne outbreaks and product recalls related to Salmonella-contaminated spices have raised the level of public health concern for spices as agents of foodborne illnesses. Presently, most spices are grown outside the U.S., mainly in 8 countries: India, Indonesia, China, Brazil, Peru, Madagascar, Mexico and Vietnam. Many of these countries are under-developed and spices are harvested and stored with little heed to sanitation. The FDA has regulatory oversight of spices in the United States; however, the agency’s control is largely limited to enforcing regulatory compliance through sampling and testing only after imported foodstuffs have crossed the U.S. border. Unfortunately, statistical sampling plans are inefficient tools for ensuring total food safety. As a result, the development and use of decontamination treatments is key. This book provides an understanding of the microbial challenges to the safety of low aw foods, and a historic backdrop to the paradigm shift now highlighting low aw foods as vehicles for foodborne pathogens. Up-to-date facts and figures of foodborne illness outbreaks and product recalls are included. Special attention is given to the uncanny ability of Salmonella to persist under dry conditions in food processing plants and foods. A section is dedicated specifically to processing plant investigations, providing practical approaches to determining sources of persistent bacterial strains in the industrial food processing environment. Readers are guided through dry cleaning, wet cleaning and alternatives to processing plant hygiene and sanitation. Separate chapters are devoted to low aw food commodities of interest including spices, dried dairy-based products, low aw meat products, dried ready-to-eat cereal products, powdered infant formula, nuts and nut pastes, flours and meals, chocolate and confectionary, dried teas and herbs, and pet foods. The book provides regulatory testing guidelines and recommendations as well as guidance through methodological and sampling challenges to testing spices and low aw foods for the presence of foodborne pathogens. Chapters also address decontamination processes for low aw foods, including heat, steam, irradiation, microwave, and alternative energy-based treatments.




Control of Salmonella and Other Bacterial Pathogens in Low-Moisture Foods


Book Description

The first and only comprehensive reference/solutions manual for managing food safety in low-moisture foods The first book devoted to an increasingly critical public health issue, Control of Salmonella and Other Bacterial Pathogens in Low-Moisture Foods reviews the current state of the science on the prevalence and persistence of bacterial pathogens in low-moisture foods and describes proven techniques for preventing food contamination for manufacturers who produce those foods. Many pathogens, such as Salmonella, due to their enhanced thermal resistance in dry environments, can survive the drying process and may persist for prolonged periods in low-moisture foods, especially when stored in refrigerated environments. Bacterial contamination of low-moisture foods, such as peanut butter, present a vexing challenge to food safety, and especially now, in the wake of widely publicized food safety related events, food processors urgently need up-to-date, practical information on proven measures for containing the risk of contamination. While much has been written on the subject, until now it was scattered throughout the world literature in scientific and industry journals. The need for a comprehensive treatment of the subject has never been greater, and now this book satisfies that need. Discusses a wide variety of foods and evaluates multiple processing platforms from the standpoint of process validation of all food safety objectives for finished food products Takes a practical approach integrating the latest scientific and technological advances in a handy working resource Presents all known sources and risk factors for pathogenic bacteria of concern in the manufacturing environment for low-moisture/water activity products Characterizes the persistence and thermal resistance of bacterial pathogens in both the environment and most low-moisture food products Control of Salmonella and Other Bacterial Pathogens in Low-Moisture Foods is a much-needed resource for food microbiologists and food industry scientists, as well as managers and executives in companies that produce and use low-moisture foods. It also belongs on the reference shelves of food safety regulatory agencies worldwide.




Control of Salmonella in Spices


Book Description

Salmonella is one of the common pathogens highly implicated in low-moisture foods. Recent studies indicate that the thermal resistance of Salmonella is determined by the water activity (aw) of low-moisture foods measured at treatment temperature. A quantitative master curve between the thermal-death-time (D80°C-values) for S. Enteritidis and aw at 80 °C in low-moisture foods without antimicrobial activities can be obtained by SiO2. Firstly, this dissertation investigated that the bacterial cellular moisture content, adjusted by the aw of low-moisture foods at treatment temperature, is the dominant factor influencing the thermal resistance of bacterial cells in low-moisture foods. Secondly, this study systematically proved that spices with antimicrobial activities could facilitate the thermal inactivation by comparing the log-linear correlations between D-values and aw, treatment-temperature between ground cinnamon and the master curve for other non-spicy low-moisture foods. Thirdly, the antimicrobial activities of the three spice products (chili, cinnamon and black pepper) against Salmonella and Enterococcus faecium were different in room-temperature storage and isothermal treatments. The results showed that the antimicrobial activity of chili was the most effective among the three spices during storage and thermal inactivation. Lastly, this work selected ground cinnamon as an example and evaluated the suitability of E. faecium as a surrogate for Salmonella during thermal inactivation under multiple temperatures and aw. The thermal resistance of E. faecium as a function of aw, treatment-temperature was similar to Salmonella, indicating E. faecium was a conservative surrogate for Salmonella in cinnamon in isothermal treatments.In summary, the cellular moisture content of bacteria in low-moisture foods as influenced by aw of foods during heating is an intrinsic parameter determining the microbial resistance. It highlights the importance of aw at treatment temperature in predicting D-values. A synergistic effect between antimicrobial activities in spices and thermal lethality can be observed, but it varies from spices. Appropriate storage for some spice products may be an alternative to mitigate contamination. In ground cinnamon, E. faecium was still a surrogate for Salmonella. The aw, treatment-temperature of low-moisture foods was no longer the main factor influencing the thermal resistance of bacteria; the antimicrobial activities should also be considered.




Bacteriological Analytical Manual


Book Description




Control of Salmonella in Low-moisture Foods


Book Description

The safety of low-moisture foods (LMFs) is an emerging concern to the food industry arising from the increased number of outbreaks implicated in pathogenic contaminations. There is a need to understanding the mechanism of enhanced thermal resistance of bacteria in a low-moisture environment and validate innovative thermal processing technologies to improve the safety conditions of LMFs. The objectives of this study were to: 1) determine the influence of water activity (aw) at treatment temperatures on the thermal resistance of Salmonella in LMFs, 2) understand the impact of desiccation on the ultra-structure and thermal resistance of Salmonella, 3) develop a dry inoculation method for food powders, and 4) identify the lowest lethality zone of surrogate in wheat flour during radio-frequency (RF) pasteurization. Firstly, aw changes at elevated temperature were explored in three powder systems, wheat flour, almond flour, and whey protein. The thermal inactivation study was conducted by using two types of test cells, thermal death time test cell (TDT cell) and thermal aw cell (TAC). The results showed a linear relationship between logarithmic D-values of Salmonella and aw at treatment temperature, regardless of the food matrices and the test method. Secondly, the ultra-structure of desiccated Salmonella cells after thermal treatment was analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and compared with that from tryptic soy broth (TSB). Salmonella cells could survive longer after desiccation with significantly increased thermal resistance. No significant difference in ultra-structure was observed in desiccated cells before/after thermal treatments. Thirdly, the usage of freeze-dried Enterococcus faecium NBBL-2354 (E. faecium) was explored and its potential to be used as an alternative to wet inoculum was evaluated in a RF pasteurization process. Results showed that freeze-dried E. faecium had strong stability of survival retain and thermal resistance in wheat flour when stored at 44́3 for up to 35 days. Freeze-dried E. faecium can be used as a valid surrogate for Salmonella in RF treatments. Fourthly, the lowest lethality zone of RF treated wheat flour was investigated by testing survivors of E. faecium at multiple locations. It was found that the lowest lethality zone was in the bottom layer when wheat flour was subjected to RF heating at 804́3 followed by a 20 min natural cooling. Bigelow model can predict the temperature-time dependent log loss of E. faecium at various locations and different RF heating rates.It can be concluded from the studies that aw of food matrices at treatment temperature is a determining factor influencing the thermal resistance of Salmonella. Salmonella cells showed enhanced thermal resistance to heat after desiccation. Freeze-dried E. faecium can be used as an alternative inoculum to inoculate LMFs. RF pasteurization was a promising and effective technology to process LMFs. Temperature history measured at cold zone can be used to develop an effective thermal process for control of Salmonella.




Emerging foodborne pathogens


Book Description

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.




Foodborne Pathogens


Book Description

As trends in foodborne disease continue to rise, the effective identification and control of pathogens becomes ever more important for the food industry. With its distinguished international team of contributors, Foodborne pathogens provides an authoritative and practical guide to effective control measures and how they can be applied in practice to individual pathogens. Part One looks at general techniques in assessing and managing microbiological hazards. After a review of analytical methods, there are chapters on modelling pathogen behaviour and carrying out a risk assessment as the essential foundation for effective food safety management. The following chapters then look at good management practice in key stages in the supply chain, starting with farm production. There are chapters on hygienic plant design and sanitation, and safe process design and operation which provide the foundation for a discussion of what makes for effective HACCP systems implementation. There is also a chapter on safe practices for consumers and food handlers in the retail and catering sectors.This discussion of pathogen control then provides a context for Part Two which looks at what this means in practice for key pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria and Campylobacter. Each chapter discusses pathogen characteristics, detection methods and control procedures. Part Three then looks at non-bacterial hazards such as viruses and parasites, as well as emerging potential 'hazards' such as Mycobacterium paratuberculosis and the increasingly important area of chronic disease. Foodborne pathogens will be widely welcomed as an essential and authoritative guide to successful pathogen control in the food industry.




Salmonella


Book Description

Human illness attributed to foodborne pathogenic microorganisms has been prominent in the mass media in recent years. The Practical Food Microbiology Series has been devised to give practical and accurate information about specific organisms of concern to public health. The information is designed for use by those in the food industry working in manufacturing, retailing and quality assurance, those in associated professional sectors e.g. public health, and students in each of these areas. The series is unique in its practical approach as it draws on real life situations to highlight practical means for controlling the organism in foods. Salmonella species are arguably the most commonly reported food associated human pathogens in the developed world. They are zoonotic agents and many different animal reservoirs are known. They can be found widely in the environment and may also establish in food processing environments. Over 2000 serotypes of Salmonella have been identified to-date, some of which cause very serious illness in humans particularly in vulnerable populations such as the elderly. Although rare, illness may result in fatality or long term debility and sequelae. Salmonella spp. are so widespread in raw foods and food source environments that the food industry has to maintain constant vigilance regarding contamination in raw materials, effectiveness of food processing systems and control of finished product characteristics for assuring food safety with respect to this important pathogen. This book details the causes of selected outbreaks and assesses the lessons that can be learnt from them. It examines the characteristics of Salmonella spp. and identifies factors that make foods susceptible to contamination and growth of these organisms. Specific product sectors are used to indicate practical measures that can be applied to control Salmonella spp. in foods and minimise their potential to cause harm to the consumer. It also provides guidance in selecting effective sampling plans and test methods to monitor and detect the organism and offers pragmatic advice on action to be taken when the organism is detected during monitoring programmes.




Food Spoilage Microorganisms


Book Description

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