Microbiological Research and Development for the Food Industry

Research and development on microorganisms in food has evolved from a luxury to a necessity for companies competing in the global marketplace. Whether research is conducted internally or externally through contract laboratories and universities, microbial research in foods is crucial to the safety and integrity of our food supply. Microbiological Research and Development for the Food Industry covers the technical and practical insights needed for developing and utilizing various capabilities to advance food microbiology research. Providing examples of how research data can be applied to consumer and brand protection efforts, this book:

• Describes the purposes and processes for conducting microbiological research and development for companies and organizations involved in food, beverage, and ingredient production and distribution
• Covers a broad range of topics of importance to food microbiologists in allied food industries and organizations, government, and academia
• Includes examples of successful research methods for food microbiology laboratories

Written to walk the reader through the process of investigating microorganisms in food systems for consumer and brand protection, Microbiological Research and Development for the Food Industry provides practical understanding of the necessary mechanisms and research approaches used in the field. It fuses the business and scientific aspects of microbiological research to underscore the return on investment for beverage and food ingredient producers. This text goes beyond routine presence/absence testing of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms in foods. It describes ways data can be collected to answer more complex questions and provides examples of how such data can be applied to consumer and brand protection efforts.

The case for microbiological research and development. Building research and development capabilities. Food process validations. Food product validations. Competitive research and development on antimicrobials and food preservatives. Competitive research and development on food-processing sanitizers and biocides. Research during microbial food safety emergencies and contaminant investigations. Predictive modeling: Principles and practice. Detection and identification of bacterial pathogens in food using biochemical and immunological assays. Microbiological growth-based and luminescence methods of food analysis. Nucleic acid-based methods for detection of foodborne pathogens. Reporting food microbiology research outcomes.

Dr. Peter J. Taormina is Principal Microbiologist at John Morrell Food Group, Corporate Food safety, Cincinnati, Ohio.