Predictive microbiology is a recent area within food microbiology, which studies the responses of microorganisms in foods to environmental factors (e.g., temperature, pH) through mathematical functions. These functions enable scientists to predict the behavior of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms under different combinations of factors. The main goal of predictive models in food science is to assure both food safety and food quality. Predictive models in foods have developed significantly in the last 20 years due to the emergence of powerful computational resources and sophisticated statistical packages. This book presents the concepts, models, most significant advances, and future trends in predictive microbiology. It will discuss the history and basic concepts of predictive microbiology. The most frequently used models will be explained, and the most significant software and databases (e.g., Combase, Sym’Previus) will be reviewed. Quantitative Risk Assessment, which uses predictive modeling to account for the transmission of foodborne pathogens across the food chain, will also be covered. ​

Four authors with backgrounds in food microbiology, food chemistry, mathematics, and statistics, explain how techniques of predictive microbiology can allow an objective evaluation of the effects of processing, distribution, and storage on the microbiological safety and quality of foods. The trick is to understand the microbial ecology of a process or of a food at a particular point in the chain, then use mathematical relationships between microbial growth and the expected environmental conditions, to predict the growth or survival of selected organisms. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Presenting a novel view of the quantitative modeling of microbial growth and inactivation patterns in food, water, and biosystems, Advanced Quantitative Microbiology for Foods and Biosystems: Models for Predicting Growth and Inactivation describes new models for estimating microbial growth and survival. The author covers traditional and alte

This volume brings together papers detailing the latest advances in the field of predictive microbiology in foods presented at the 10th International Conference on Predictive Modelling in Food, held in Córdoba, Spain, in 2016. Predictive microbiology is a scientific area providing mathematical models to predict microbial behaviour in the food environment, providing valuable tools for food risk managers, food scientists and the food industry as a whole. The book introduces the reader to the most used and recognized modelling techniques for food, providing a thorough overview of this discipline and establishing the basis for future investigations. It is presented as a compendium of several high-quality research studies developed across the world, representing a unique contribution to the field as it shows recent discoveries and new trends of modelling in food and risk assessment. The most innovative methods, such as the use of genomic information for risk assessment and the application of quantitative risk assessment technology for foodborne pathogenic microorganisms, are also included here.

Microorganisms are essential for the production of many foods, including cheese, yoghurt, and bread, but they can also cause spoilage and diseases. Quantitative Microbiology of Food Processing: Modeling the Microbial Ecology explores the effects of food processing techniques on these microorganisms, the microbial ecology of food, and the surrounding issues concerning contemporary food safety and stability. Whilst literature has been written on these separate topics, this book seamlessly integrates all these concepts in a unique and comprehensive guide. Each chapter includes background information regarding a specific unit operation, discussion of quantitative aspects, and examples of food processes in which the unit operation plays a major role in microbial safety. This is the perfect text for those seeking to understand the quantitative effects of unit operations and beyond on the fate of foodborne microorganisms in different foods. Quantitative Microbiology of Food Processing is an invaluable resource for students, scientists, and professionals of both food engineering and food microbiology.

While predictive microbiology has made a major contribution to food safety, many uncertainties linger, such as the growing evidence that traditional microbial inactivation models do not always fit the experimental data and that all the bacteria of one population do not necessarily behave homogeneously. These problems are all the more acute because of a growing interest in minimal processing techniques that is requiring greater precision from models. Edited by leading authorities, this volume reviews current developments in quantitative microbiology. Part 1 discusses best practice in constructing quantitative models and Part 2 looks at specific areas in new approaches to modelling microbial behavior.

The first state-of-the-art review of this dynamic field in a decade, Modeling Microbial Responses in Foods provides the latest information on techniques in mathematical modeling of microbial growth and survival. The comprehensive coverage includes basic approaches such as improvements in the development of primary and secondary models, statistical

Predictive microbiology primarily deals with the quantitative assessment of microbial responses at a macroscopic or microscopic level, but also involves the estimation of how likely an individual or population is to be exposed to a microbial hazard.This book provides an overview of the major literature in the area of predictive microbiology, with a special focus on food. The authors tackle issues related to modeling approaches and their applications in both microbial spoilage and safety.Food spoilage is presented through applications of best-before-date determination and commercial sterility. Food safety is presented through applications of risk-based safety management. The different modeling aspects are introduced through probabilistic and stochastic approaches, including model and data uncertainty, but also biological variability. - Features an extensive review of modelling terminology - Presents examples of all available microbial models (i.e., growth, inactivation, growth/no growth) and applicable software - Revisits all statistical aspects related to exposure assessment - Describes realistic examples of implementing microbial spoilage and safety modeling approaches

This second edition of Water Activity in Foods furnishes those working within food manufacturing, quality control, and safety with a newly revised guide to water activity and its role in the preservation and processing of food items. With clear, instructional prose and illustrations, the book’s international team of contributors break down the essential principles of water activity and water–food interactions, delineating water’s crucial impact upon attributes such as flavor, appearance, texture, and shelf life. The updated and expanded second edition continues to offer an authoritative overview of the subject, while also broadening its scope to include six newly written chapters covering the latest developments in water activity research. Exploring topics ranging from deliquescence to crispness, these insightful new inclusions complement existing content that has been refreshed and reconfigured to support the food industry of today.