Outline steps to reduce their impact. Section 24.9 Food microbiology deals with methods for keeping microorganisms, including pathogens, from growing in food during processing and storage. Foods vary considerably in their sensitivity to microbial growth, depending on their nutrient content, water content, and pH. Heat, refrigeration, or chemical agents can control microbial growth in foods. Give examples to support your answer. Outline at least four methods of food preservation.
Many microbial diseases are foodborne.
Some foodborne diseases are food poisonings in which the causal agent produces an exotoxin or enterotoxin. Even in the absence of infection, the toxin may be ingested with the food and cause the food poisoning symptoms. Among the microbial foodborne diseases, there are a number of food infections in which microbially contaminated food is the agent by which the pathogen is transmitted to the host. Raw and undercooked foods are the most common vehicles for transmission of food infections.