This book provides a broad account of various applied aspects of microbiology for quality and safety evaluations in food, water, soil, environment and pharmaceutical sciences. The work is timely, as the safety and quality of various commodities such as water and wastewater, food, pharmaceutical medications and medical devices are of paramount concern in developing countries globally for improved public health quality in areas ranging from food security to disease exposure. The book offers an introduction to basic concepts of biosafety and related microbiological practices and applies these methodologies to a multitude of disciplines in subject-focused chapters. Each chapter offers experiments and exercises pertaining to the specific area of interest in microbiological research, which will allow readers to apply the knowledge gained in a laboratory or classroom setting to see the microbiological methods discussed in practice. The book will be useful for industrialists, researchers, academics and undergraduate/graduate students of microbiology, biotechnology, botany and pharmaceutical sciences. The text aims to be a significant contribution in effectively guiding scientists, analysts, lab technicians and quality managers working with microbiology in industrial and commercial fields.

In recent years there has been increased interest in the possibility of rapid microbiological methods offering enhanced potential error detection capabilities. However, these methods raise a number of questions, such as how to validate new methods, will they be accepted by the pharmacopoeias, and, most importantly, how will the regulators respond?

Microbiological Analysis of Foods and Food Processing Environments is a well-rounded text that focuses on food microbiology laboratory applications. The book provides detailed steps and effective visual representations with microbial morphology that are designed to be easily understood. Sections discuss the importance of the characteristics of microorganisms in isolation and enumeration of microorganisms. Users will learn more about the characteristics of microorganisms in medicine, the food industry, analysis laboratories, the protection of foods against microbial hazards, and the problems and solutions in medicine and the food industry. Food safety, applications of food standards, and identification of microorganisms in a variety of environments depend on the awareness of microorganisms in their sources, making this book useful for many industry professionals. - Includes basic microbiological methods used in the counting of microbial groups from foods and other samples - Covers the indicators of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms from foods and other samples - Incorporates identification of isolated microorganisms using basic techniques - Provides expressed isolation, counting and typing of viruses and bacteriophages - Explores the detection of microbiological quality in foods

This book considers the rapid microbiological techniques that are now increasingly used in industry as alternatives to more conventional methods. Although many of the pioneering studies in this field have taken place in clinical laboratories, the materials listed and organisms sought for foods, beverages and pharmaceuticals are much more varied. In this volume, leading experts from research and industry review the wide variety of approaches that are needed in an industrial setting. The methods described include electrometric techniques, ATP assay, and immunological methods for a wide range of organisms from salmonellas to viruses, each chapter drawing on the authors direct experience in industry to give a highly practical guide. The book should prove invaluable to those in the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries, or in research and training, who require an up-to-date survey of the use of rapid microbiological methods.

Basic methods; Techniques for the microbiological examination of foods; Microbiological examination of especific foods; Schemes for the identification of microorganisms.

The food industry, with its diverse range of products (e.g. short shelf-life foods, modified atmosphere packaged products and minimally processed products) is governed by strict food legislation, and microbiological safety has become a key issue. Legally required to demonstrate 'due diligence', food manufacturers are demanding analytical techniques that are simple to use, cost effective, robust, reliable and can provide results in 'real time'. The majority of current microbiological techniques (classical or rapid), particularly for the analysis of foodborne pathogens, give results that are only of retrospective value and do not allow proactive or reactive measures to be imple mented during modem food production. Rapid methods for microbial analysis need to be considered in the context of modem Quality Assurance (QA) systems. This book addresses microbiologists, biochemists and immunologists in the food industry, the public health sector, academic and research institutes, and manufacturers of kits and instruments. This volume is an up-to-date account of recent developments in rapid food microbiological analysis, current approaches and problems, rapid methods in relation to QA systems, and future perspectives in an intensely active field. P.D.P. Contributors Public Health Laboratory, Royal Preston Hospital, PO Box F.J. Bolton 202, Sharoe Green Lane North, Preston PR2 4HG, UK. D. M. Gibson Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Torry Research Station, 135 Abbey Road, Aberdeen AB9 8DG, Scotland. P.A. Hall Microbiology and Food Safety, Kraft General Foods, 801 Waukegan Road, Glenview, Illinois 60025, USA.

Covering the detection and identification of microbes, genetic analysis methods, and the assessment of microbial growth and viability, this text examines up-to-date advances in microbiological analysis unique to food systems. It highlights the advantages of modern techniques used in conjunction with the microscope to achieve rapid detection and quantification of microorganisms.

The Compendium of Methods for the Microbiological Examination of Foods, now in its new, 4th Edition, is the all-inclusive reference for anyone involved in the dynamic fields of processing and testing the safety and quality of foods. Food-borne illnesses comprise a significant public health problem, striking 76 million Americans yearly and killing 5,000, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. APHA's Compendium is the authority for food safety testing. The Compendium presents a comprehensive selection of proven testing methods with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and reliability. More than 200 experts have reviewed and updated the 64 chapters in this new edition. New material included on meats and meat products. Contents include: general laboratory procedures, including laboratory quality assurance, environmental monitoring procedures, sampling plans, sample collection, shipment, and preparation for analysis; microorganisms involved in processing and spoilage of foods; foods and the microorganisms involved in their safety and quality; indicator microorganisms and pathogens, microorganisms and food safety: foodborne illness; preparation of microbiological materials-media, reagents, and stains; and much more.