Book Description

The dynamics of growth, survival and biochemical activity of microorganisms in the food matrix are the result of stress reactions in response to the changes in the physical and chemical conditions in the food microenvironment. The microorganisms colonize the food matrix and grow into spatial heterogeneity with in situ cell-to-cell ecological interactions, which often happen during food processing and preservation. Ecological approaches to studying the evolution of microbial flora would be beneficial and recommended for better comprehending the microbiological processes involved in food processing, ripening, and preservation, improving microbiological safety, and evaluating the effective compositions of the microbial populations in developing the food quality including appearance, flavor, and nutrients. This topic addresses the mechanisms of microorganisms on the formation and development of the food matrix's appearance, flavor, and nutrients, as well as strategies for preventing and reducing microorganism contamination throughout the processing and preservation of the food matrix. Thus, we are concerning several key problems: How can we understand microorganism roles in improving food safety or removal of toxic compounds? What are the key factors that affect the growth and metabolism of microorganisms during the processing and preservation? What are the mechanisms for inducing the changes in nutritional value and organoleptic quality of the food matrix by microorganisms?