Chapter 4 - Enumeration of foodborne microorganisms

Abstract

Food safety remains a major global challenge. Microbial foodborne diseases are caused either by the presence of whole pathogenic microorganisms in food or the presence of their metabolic by-products such as enterotoxins and enzymes. The public health and socioeconomic impact resulting from foodborne infection is enormous, accounting for substantial economic losses and prolonged hospital stay. Detection of microbial contamination in food is the first step toward the curb of spread. Microbiological detection and enumeration of foodborne microorganisms using conventional methods is often considered as the “gold standard.” Notwithstanding its simplicity, reliability, and well-established standards, it is laborious and time-consuming, lacks quantitative information, and provides limited identification of posttranslational modifications of proteins and peptides. Furthermore, this method usually involves the detection, isolation, and enumeration of foodborne and spoilage microorganisms via cultural methods. As a result, many of these methods cannot detect nonculturable microorganism and unfit-to-address issues of viable but nonculturable bacteria. This chapter discusses various conventional and novel rapid methods for the detection, isolation, and enumeration of foodborne and spoilage microorganisms.