Fundamental Food Microbiology, Third Edition - Fuad Fathir

CONTENTS
3
CHAPTER 1
History and Development of Food
Microbiology
I. Introduction ..................................................................................................3
II. Discovery of Microorganisms ......................................................................3
III. Where Are They Coming From? .................................................................4
IV. What Are Their Functions? ..........................................................................5
V. Development of Early Food Microbiology (Before 1900 A.D.) .................5
VI. Food Microbiology: Current Status .............................................................8
A. Food Fermentation/Probiotics ..............................................................8
B. Food Spoilage ......................................................................................8
C. Foodborne Diseases .............................................................................8
D. Miscellaneous .......................................................................................9
VII. Food Microbiology and Food Microbiologists ............................................9
VIII. Conclusion ..................................................................................................10
References............................................................................................................... 10
Questions................................................................................................................. 11
I. INTRODUCTION
Except for a few sterile foods, all foods harbor one or more types of microorganisms.
Some of them have desirable roles in food, such as in the production of naturally
fermented food, whereas others cause food spoilage and foodborne diseases. To
study the role of microorganisms in food and to control them when necessary, it is
important to isolate them in pure culture and study their morphological, physiological,
biochemical, and genetic characteristics. Some of the simplest techniques in
use today for these studies were developed over the last 300 years; a brief description
is included here.