Fundamental Food Microbiology, Third Edition - Fuad Fathir

IMPORTANT FACTORS IN MICROBIAL FOOD SPOILAGE 261
identical conditions could be different. Although growing in a broth is convenient
and, if properly designed, can provide valuable initial information, it is always better
to have studies with specific foods.
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IV. SOME IMPORTANT FOOD SPOILAGE BACTERIA
Theoretically, any microorganism (including microorganisms used in food fermentation
and pathogens) that can multiply in a food to reach a high level (spoilage
detection level) is capable of causing it to spoil. Yet, in reality, bacterial species from
only several genera have been implicated more with spoilage of most foods. This
is dictated by the bacterial characteristics, food characteristics, and the storage
conditions (Chapter 2). The influence of some of these factors in determining predominant
spoilage bacteria in foods is briefly discussed. 2,3 Pathogens are not included
here.
A. Psychrotrophic Bacteria
As indicated before, psychrotrophic bacteria constitute the bacterial species capable
of growing at 5�C and below, but multiply quite rapidly at 10 to 25�C and even at
higher temperatures. Many foods are stored on ice (chilling) and in refrigerators,
and some are expected to have a long shelf life (50 d or more). Between processing
and consumption, they can be temperature abused to 10�C and higher. Psychrotrophic
bacteria (also many yeasts and molds that are psychrotrophic) can cause spoilage
in these foods. If the food is stored under aerobic conditions, psychrotrophic aerobes
are the predominant spoilage bacteria. In foods stored under anaerobic conditions
(also in the interior of a prepared food), anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria
predominate. If the food is given low-heat treatment and not exposed to postheat
contamination during storage at low temperature, psychrotrophic thermoduric bacteria
can cause it to spoil.
1. Some Important Psychrotrophic Aerobic Spoilage Bacteria
They include Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pse. fragi, other Pseudomonas species,
Acinetobacter, Moraxella, and Flavobacterium. (Some molds and yeasts are included
in this group.)
2. Some Important Psychrotrophic Facultative Anaerobic Spoilage
Bacteria
They include Bro. thermosphacta, Lactobacillus viridescens, Lab. sake, Lab. curvatus,
unidentified Lactobacillus spp., Leuconostoc carnosum, Leu. gelidum, Leu.
mesenteroides, unidentified Leuconostoc spp., some Enterococcus spp., Alcaligenes
spp., Enterobacter spp., Serratia liquifaciens, some Hafnia and Proteus spp., and
Shewanella (previously Alteromonas) putrefaciens (and some microaerophilic
yeasts).