Micro-organisms in food

موضوع: Micro-organisms in food الخميس أغسطس 20, 2009 9:14 pm

Micro-organisms in food

Micro-organisms in food can be both beneficial and harmful. For centuries they have been used in food production, primarily for food preservation, and are responsible for many popular foodstuffs such as cheese, yoghurt, bread and fermented meats.
More recently, the additional benefits of the deliberate inclusion of certain micro-organisms in foods have gained recognition, leading to the increased availability and popularity of probiotic foods. Probiotics are reported to play an important role in improving immunological, digestive and respiratory functions, and may have a significant effect in alleviating infectious diseases in children.
However, in recent years micro-organisms in foods have more often been associated with causing food-borne illnesses, which can sometimes be fatal. Food-borne illnesses are not only a large and growing public health problem, but can also seriously disrupt international trade. Modern and sophisticated food distribution networks can allow food safety problems to spread more widely than ever before, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive food chain approach.
Most countries with systems for reporting cases of food-borne illness have documented significant increases over the past few decades in the incidence of diseases caused by micro-organisms in food, including pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli, and parasites such as cryptosporidium, cryptospora and trematodes. Furthermore, the use and misuse of antimicrobials in treating diseases caused by micro-organisms has led to the emergence of antimicrobial resistant pathogens, and associated human public health problems.

Thanks Dr. Majda and as always...excellent topics!
I thank you too for brining up the antimicrobial resistance of foodborne bacteria such as Listeria.
The lactic acid bacteria which are used in fermentation processes are non pathogeneic but they can be considered spoilage bacteria if the food is mishandled and stored improperly.

Greetings
Dr. Hana

Dear Hanaa

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