APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY

CHAPTER 26
MICROBIOLOGY 130
ROBERTA BRASHEAR-KAULFERS

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Microorganisms found in Food

Food safety is a global issue

Soil microbes can spoil food
Contamination by unsanitary handling of food
Improper storage and preparation procedures can lead
to contamination by pathogens
Imports of fruits and vegetables from 3rd World
countries can bring in diseases and parasites
*Hands washed properly??

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Bread Production - Sour Dough Bread

Sourdough culture- yeast Candida milleri and

Lactobacillus sanfrancisco 1:100 ratio
German sour rye bread has 4 different yeast species
and 13 species of Lactobacilli
Yeast feed on the sugars except maltose, Lactobacilli
need maltose, then produce ethyl alcohol and CO2
Lactobacilli produce lactic and acetic acids giving the
sour flavor, pH 3.6 - 4.0 inhibits microbial growth

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GRAINS

Rye and wheat are harvested dry

If they get wet, molds and other microbes will grow
Insect, birds and rodent vectors also transmit microbes
Raw grain with mold Claviceps purpurea cause
ergotism, mold is halucinogenic and deadly
Aspergillus produce aflatoxins
Rhizopus nigricans is most common bread mold, also
Aspergillus, Penicillium and Monila (pink mold)
Rye bread likely infected by Bacillus sp (w/spores)
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FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Pseudomonas fluorescens are found on surface of

fruits and vegetables
Pathogens: Salmonella, Shigella, Entameoba, Ascaris
can be transmitted on surfaces
Leafy vegetables more susceptible to rot by Erwinia
carotovora, Penicillium mold on citrus fruits and apples
Fungus Phytophthora infestans caused potato blight
Now using GMO to make plants resistant
Tomato rot- Fusarium fungus, Rhizopus injected by
insects. Peach rot - Monilia fruiticola
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MEATS AND POULTRY

70 pathogens found at slaughterhouses, inspected by vet

Dec 2003 -1st case of Mad Cow in US, stricter laws
Carcasses are hung in refrigerated rooms to age, some
mold: Rhizopus and Mucor , Pseudomonas release
H2S and green coloration
Clostridium cause bone stink deep in carcass
Ground meat- may have helminths-Trichinella, lactobacilli
Should be cooked to kill pathogens

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MEATS AND POULTRY

20 bacteria found on Poultry- 1/2 of all infections

caused by Salmonella, by Clostridium perfringens,
Staphylococcus aureus,
Gram Pseudomonas cause slime and odors
Eggs have a hard porous shell, and microbes can get
through
Chickens laying eggs can have Salmonella,1/10000
eggs has this bacteria in side shell, it does not have to
be cracked so always cook eggs; dont eat raw eggs!
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FISH AND SHELLFISH

Fresh fish have microbes: enteric bacteria, worms, &

viruses which survive even shipped in ice
Shellfish- oysters & clams Salmonella and Vibrio
Clams filter feeder can pick up red tides toxins, sewage
Shrimp (breaded) have high bacterial counts
Lobster and crabs - enteric pathogens
Crabs carry Clostridium, Cryptococcus and Candida

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MILK

Breeding cattle for high milk production have large

udders and easily admit bacteria- get rid of 1st few
squirts which can have 15,000 bacteria /ml
Mostly Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Pseudomonas
Hand milking- E. coli, Acinetobacter
Diseased cattle can transmit Mycobacterium bovis
Brucella, TB
Milk is Soured by Streptococcus lactis, Lactobacillus

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OTHER EDIBLE SUBSTANCES

Sugar- raw cane supports fungi: Aspergillus,

Saccharomyces, Candida. Bacteria: Bacillus and
Micrococcus
Clostridium causes the bulge in cans
High sugar concentration acys as preservative
Maple trees are tapped in spring -Leuconostoc , and
Enterobacter
Honey toxins for Clostridium spores-floppy baby
syndrome botulism
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OTHER EDIBLE SUBSTANCES

Spices- mask odors rather than preserve

Condiments, ketchup mustard have acids
Harvested coffee subject to molds and coffee rust
Tea leaves mold by Aspergillus and Penicillium
Microbes needed to make coffee: Erwinia needed to
digest pectin on coffee bean,
Yeasts turn bean pulp into alcohol also create flavor of
chocolate

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PREVENTING DISEASE TRANSMISSION
AND FOOD SPOILAGE
More contamination in large processing plants
Klebsiella found in human digestive tract is also a
respiratory pathogen, but can cause diarrhea
TB can be transmitted from unpasteurized milk/cheese
Virus are transferred through food
Milk is ideal medium for growth of pathogens/microbes
Crucial factor to prevent spoilage and disease is
cleanliness in handling, use fresh foods, refrigerate,
Process quickly and store properly
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Food Are Preserved By

Drying of grain
Osmotic pressure (salt or sugar)- Dried and salted
meats and other foods
Fermentation - milk allowed to sour was made into
cheese
Canning - use of moist heat under pressure, used to
preserve fruits, vegetables, meats in glass jars and
metal cans.
Destroys microbes, endospores, prevents spoilage
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CANNING

Some thermophiles (Bacillus stearothermophilus) may

remain alive even after canning, spores can germinate
and grow, can will bulge in heat (thermophilic anaerobic
spoilage)
Flat sour spoilage
Mesophilic spoilage- improper canning at room temp
Sugars

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Industrial Food Canning

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Commercial Sterilization to Destroy
C. botulinum Endospores
12D treatment kills 1012 endospores
Surviving endospores of thermophilic anaerobes cause
spoilage with gas
Or flat-sour spoilage

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DRYING AND LYOPHILIZATION

Drying- desication or dehydration is oldest method

Remove 90% of water
Stops growth but does not kill microbes
Can be sun dried, heated in ovens etc
Addition of slat, sugar or chemicals also used
Lyophilization- freeze drying is used for instant coffee
and dry yeast for bread making

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Food Preservation- Irradiation

Aseptic packaging: Pre-

sterilized materials
assembled into packages
and aseptically filled.
Gamma radiation kills
bacteria, insects, and
parasitic worms.
High-energy electrons

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FOOD IRRADIATION- Ionizing Radiation

2 types of Irradiation- UV and Ionizing

Still new and controversial
Microwaves do not kill, but the heat is
microbicidal, but food must be rotated
Ionizing-Gamma Rays can penetrate
and are microbicidal
Can be done, before or after packaging
Cobalt 60 gamma and Cs 137 used in
Japan and Europe, FDA has declared
safe in the US
USDA proposed rules for irradiation of
fresh poultry.. Still a debate!

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CHEMICAL ADDITIVES

Benzoic, sorbic and propionic acids used in margarine,

juice, bread, other baked goods
Alkylating agents- ethylene oxide used on nuts/spices
Ozone used on shellfish
NaCl- salt to cure meats, dehydrates bacteria
Halogen, chloride for processing equipment
Nitrates on sausage, hot dogs
QUATS- sanitize udders, fresh vegetables, eggshell
surfaces
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ANTIBIOTICS

In US only nisin - bacteriocin produced by milk

fermentation by Streptococcus lactis
Antibiotics are prohibited because: (p 790)

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PASTUERIZATION OF MILK - STANDARDS

2 methods : High temp short time

Low temp long time
Ultra high temperature- UHT treatment
Some chemical additives
Milk and Food in US carefully regulated by FDA
Animals inspected and soon stricter methods by
microscope
Quality control has many tests for purity and
guarantees high quality milk to consumers
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MICROORGANISMS AS FOOD AND IN
FOOD PRODUCTION
Algae, Fungi, and Bacteria as Food:
Yeasts are good source of protein
1 kg yeast = 100 kg protein, but human digestive tract
can only handle small amounts of it
Algal cultures: Cyanobacteria- Spirulina and red algae
grown in aquaculture (in Kona)
Algae- ingredient of ice cream
Yeast, algae and bacteria could increase World Food
Supply!
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FOOD PRODUCTION: BREAD & DAIRY

BREAD- previous slide on sour dough

Yeast Saccharomyces is a leavening agent, produce
gas ato make bread rise and alcohol by fermentation
Alcohol and CO2 driven off during baking- holes
DAIRY- cultured buttermilk- Streptococcus cremoris is
added to skim milk and allowed to ferment, also
Leuconostoc sp
Sour cream- add one of above microbes to cream
Yogurt- Streptococcus and Lactobacillus added to milk
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FOOD PRODUCTION: DAIRY

Fermented Milk beverages- Mongolia- Arak drink from

Mares milk produces alcohol
Acidophilus milk- add Lactibacillus acidophilus
Bulgarian milk- add L. bulgaricus, makes it more acidic
Kefir- Balkan goats milk stored in goatskin bags
Koumiss- Russian drink from Mares milk
Streptococcus lactis, L. bulgaricus, and yeasts are
responsible for lactic acid, alcohol and other products

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Cheese

Curd: Solid casein from

lactic acid bacteria and
rennin
Whey: Liquid separated from
curd
Hard cheeses produced by
lactic acid bacteria
Semisoft cheeses ripened
by Penicillium on surface
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OTHER PRODUCTS

Vinegar: ethyl alcohol by Acetobacter aceti

Sauerkraut: cabbage with salt and microbes
Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc ferment under
anaerobic conditions
Pickles: add brine to cucumbers and ferment
Olives: ferment in Salt and Leuconostoc
Poi: ferment taro paste, yeast adds alcohol
Soy Sauce: soybeans, salt and Aspergillus-ferment
Soy Products: Miso, Tofu soft curd
Fermented Meats: salami, bologna, summer sausage
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Alcoholic Beverages-Beer, Wine and Spirits

Distillation-
Beer and ale are fermented starch.
Malting: Germinating barley converts starch to maltose
and glucose.
Yeast ferment sugars to ethyl alcohol + CO2

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Yeast Fermentations

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Making Red Wine

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Microbial Metabolism

Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Sugar Ethyl alcohol + CO2

Lactic acid bacteria

Malic acid Lactic acid

Acetobacter or Gluconobacter
Ethyl alcohol Acetic acid

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Fermentation Technology

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Primary Fermentation

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Secondary Fermentation

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Industrial Microbiology/Pharmaceutical Micro

Amino acids
Citric acid
Enzymes
Vitamins
Antibiotics :
Penicillum
Steroids

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Useful Organic Products

Simple Organic Compounds-

Antibiotics-1940s penicillin, 2% are marketed, others
are too toxic, semi-synthetic antibiotics - augmentin
Enzymes-used in industrial processes
Proteolytic enzymes in coated granules are added to
detergents
Enzymes in paper production-lignin digested by fungi
Amino acids-8 of 20 essential aa not synthesized by us
Need lysine, glutamic acid etc
Bioconversion-steroids, insulin, cortisone, progesterone
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Microbiological Mining:
Biological Leaching of Copper Ores

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Alternative Energy Sources Using
Microorganisms

Bioconversion
Biomass Methane or ethyl alcohol

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Microbiological Waste Disposal

Sewage treatment plants

Bioremediation- use of microbes to dispose of chemical
wastes
3 strains of microbes can Deactivate Aroclor 1260- a
toxic PCB
Others detoxify cyanide and dioxin
Use GMO microbes

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings