Fundamental Food Microbiology, Third Edition - Fuad Fathir

SPOILAGE OF SPECIFIC FOOD GROUPS 287
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XIII. CONCLUSION
This chapter discusses why different food types or food groups differ in microbial
spoilage characteristics. The predominant nutrients being metabolized and the predominant
microorganisms growing rapidly under an environment determine the
nature of the end products that are produced, which in turn are associated with
spoilage characteristics. An understanding of these parameters is important in the
firsthand determination of the causes of spoilage. This will be useful to investigate
the cause, identify it, and take necessary corrective measures. These aspects are
discussed further in Chapter 20, using some real situations in refrigerated food
products.
REFERENCES
1. Silliker, J.H., Ed., Microbial Ecology of Foods, Vol. 2, Academic Press, New York,
1980.
2. Vanderzant, C. and Splittstoesser, D.F., Eds., Compendium of Methods for the Microbiological
Examination of Foods, American Public Health Association, Washington,
D.C., 1992, chs. 44-61.
3. Kraft, A.A., Psychrotrophic Bacteria in Foods: Diseases and Spoilage, CRC Press,
Boca Raton, FL, 1992.
4. Sofos, J.N., Microbial growth and its control in meat, poultry, and fish, in Advances
in Meat Research, Vol. 9, Pearson, A.M. and Dutson, T.R., Eds., Chapman Hall, New
York, 1994, p. 359.
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Research, Vol. 2, Pearson, A.M. and Dutson, T.R., Eds., AVI Publishing, Westport,
CN, 1986, p. 49.
6. Tompkins, R.B., Microbiology of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, in Advances
in Meat Research, Vol. 2, Pearson, A.M. and Dutson, T.R., Eds., AVI Publishing, CN,
Westport, 1986, p. 89.
7. Cousin, M.A., Presence and activity of psychrotrophic microorganisms in milk and
dairy products: a review, J. Food Prot., 45, 172, 1982.
8. Meer, R.R., Baker, J., Bodyfelt, F.W., and Griffiths, M.W., Psychrotrophic Bacillus
spp. in fluid milk products, J. Food Prot., 54, 969, 1991.
9. Smittle, R.B. and Flowers, R.M., Acid tolerant microorganisms involved in the spoilage
of salad dressings, J. Food Prot., 45, 977, 1982.
10. Anonymous, Thermophilic organisms involved in food spoilage, J. Food Prot., 44,
144, 1981.
QUESTIONS
1. List the important psychrotrophic spoilage bacteria of raw meats, and describe
the metabolic pattern and corresponding spoilage associated with each microbial
genus.
2. Briefly discuss the following: (a) sources of microorganisms in low-heat-processed
meat products; (b) predominant spoilage bacteria in low-heat-processed, vacuum-