http://www.foodquality.com Microbiology Topic Rss http://www.foodquality.com/details/article/972723/Tools_For_Better_Food_Safety_Testing.html <p>Is our food really safe? The plethora of contamination events over the past few years certainly begs the question. The first major contamination event occurred in 1998 when Sara Lee recalled 35 million pounds of various meat products. Recalls were pretty quiet for about eight years, and then&hellip;</p> 2010-12-30T17:07:00Z http://www.foodquality.com/details/article/867109/New_Method_Detects_Key_Form_of_Botulinum_Spores.html <p>Refrigerated convenience foods are growing in popularity, but they&rsquo;re particularly vulnerable to a type of foodborne botulism caused by the form of the bacterium known as non-proteolytic <em>Clostridium botulinum</em>. That&rsquo;s because, unlike the proteolytic strain, non-proteolytic <em>C. botulinum</em> can grow and produce toxin at refrigerated temperatures.</p> 2010-10-18T19:56:00Z http://www.foodquality.com/details/article/845437/Scientists_Crack_Listeria_Mystery.html <p>Scientists at University College in Cork, Ireland, have deciphered at least part of the puzzle behind <em>Listeria</em>&rsquo;s virulence and unpredictability.</p> 2010-09-21T00:34:00Z http://www.foodquality.com/details/article/842933/Imaging_Tool_Speeds_Up_Campylobacter_Detection.html <p>Using a combination of digital imaging and spectroscopy known as hyperspectral imaging, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have found a way to distinguish <em>Campylobacter</em> from other microorganisms within 24 hours.</p> 2010-09-13T13:33:00Z http://www.foodquality.com/details/article/842319/Antibacterial_Paper_Could_Extend_Shelf_Life.html <p>A new paper that inhibits the growth of bacteria in food products could extend product shelf life and protect consumers from bacteria-causing foodborne illnesses. Overcoming the concerns associated with earlier antibacterial materials, this paper is nontoxic, environmentally friendly, and low in cost. The relatively simple processing of this antibacterial material suggests it may be commercially viable for food packaging methods in the near future.</p> 2010-09-10T00:00:00Z http://www.foodquality.com/details/article/841019/Novel_Mechanism_Found_to_Affect_Salmonella_Virulence.html <p>Scientists at the University of Washington have discovered a mechanism that may explain part of the organism&rsquo;s ability to respond to inhospitable conditions. By selectively altering its production of proteins in a manner not previously recognized, <em>Salmonella</em> can change both its susceptibility to antibiotics and its level of virulence.</p> 2010-09-07T16:58:00Z http://www.foodquality.com/details/article/809757/Food_Microbiology_Marches_On.html <p>Napoleon wanted to conquer the world, but he knew, as his famous quote aptly states, &ldquo;an army travels on its stomach.&rdquo; To be sure his men had safe rations, he offered a 12,000-franc prize to anyone who could come up with a food preservation method. Nicolas Appert, the chef and distiller who ultimately claimed the prize, spent more than a decade discovering that boiled foods placed in airtight glass containers would not spoil. In 1810, Peter Durand, a British merchant who received a patent for the tin containers that were forerunners of the cans used today, further refined the concept.</p> 2010-08-15T14:15:00Z http://www.foodquality.com/details/article/806277/Gene_Boosts_Shelf_Life_in_Tomatoes.html <p>Adding a yeast gene to tomatoes increased production of a compound that slows aging and delays microbial decay, researchers at Purdue University reported. High levels of the polyamine spermidine increased the shelf life of tomatoes and may do the same for other fruits, allowing delivery of fresh fruits to areas they do not normally reach, the researchers suggested.</p> 2010-07-27T21:38:00Z http://www.foodquality.com/details/article/806477/Rapid_Micro_Rolls_On.html <p>This article on the history and impact of advances in rapid food microbiology is the second in a new series for <em>Food Quality</em>. In &ldquo;FoodTech: Tools That Changed the Industry,&rdquo; we look at various technologies and tools, such as rapid microbiological testing, that have played a key role in and had an indelible impact on the food industry.</p> 2010-04-01T04:48:00Z http://www.foodquality.com/details/article/807381/Study_Sheds_Light_on_Salmonella.html <p>New research from the Volcani Center in Israel reveals that the pathogenic bacteria Salmonella enterica can sense, swim toward, and enter open stomata in a lettuce leaf during photosynthesis. The discovery, published in the October issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology, has important implications for food safety and may partially explain why it&rsquo;s so difficult to prevent outbreaks of foodborne illness by disinfecting fresh produce.</p> 2009-10-01T03:55:00Z