The Microbiological Safety of Low Water Activity Foods and Spices.

ISBN:

9781493920624

Title:

Author:

Gurtler, Joshua B.

Personal Author:

Gurtler, Joshua B.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (437 pages)

Series:

Practical Approaches

Contents:

Contents -- Part I: Introduction and Overview -- The Microbiological Safety of Spices and Low-Water Activity Foods: Correcting Historic Misassumptions -- Introduction -- Definition of Low-aw Foods -- Implicated Foodborne Pathogens Associated with Low-aw Foods -- Types of Low-aw Foods Associated with Foodborne Illness Outbreaks or Product Recalls -- Foodborne Outbreaks Associated with Consumption of Contaminated Low-aw Foods -- Pet Food as a Human Foodborne Illness Risk -- Spices as Contaminated Low-aw Foods -- Sampling for Pathogens in Spices -- Antimicrobial Interventions for Spices -- Factors Associated with Foodborne Pathogen-Contaminated Low-aw Foods -- Validation of Intervention Processes and Use of Surrogate Microorganisms -- Outlook -- Conclusions -- References -- Challenges in the Control of Foodborne Pathogens in Low-Water Activity Foods and Spices -- Introduction -- Pathogens of Concern in Low-Water Activity Foods and Spices -- Origin of Pathogen Contamination in Low-Water Activity Foods -- Pre- and Postharvest Contamination (Preprocessing) -- Processing and Post-process Contamination -- Current Challenges in the Control of Foodborne Pathogens in Low-Water Activity Foods -- Processing Practices to Reduce Pathogen Contamination in Low-Water Activity Foods -- Practices to Reduce Contamination at Pre- and Postharvest (Preprocessing) -- Reducing Contamination During Processing and Post-process (Including Minimally Processed Low-Water Activity Food) -- Conclusions -- References -- Part II: Pathogen Persistence and Control in Low aw Foods and Processing Plants -- Adaptation of Pathogenic Microorganisms to Dry Conditions -- Introduction -- Survival Mechanisms -- Genetic Response of Bacteria to Drying Conditions -- Concluding Remarks -- References.

Transcriptomic Responses of Salmonella Species to Desiccation and Low-Moisture Environments: Extending Our Knowledge of How Bacteria Cope with Low-Moisture Stress -- Importance of Salmonella in the Context of Low-Moisture Foods -- Studying Adaptation of Bacteria to Stressful Environments -- Genome Sequencing -- Transcriptomic Studies -- Proteomics -- Other Investigative Methods -- Duration of Salmonella Species Survival to Desiccation on Abiotic Surfaces -- Transcriptomic Studies Examining the Effect of Desiccation on Salmonella -- Osmoprotection -- Osmoprotectant Transport -- Potassium Import -- Trehalose Biosynthesis -- Amino Acid Biosynthesis -- Central Metabolism -- Ribosome Structure -- Transcriptional Regulator σE -- Survival Mechanisms Employed by Salmonella in Media Containing Moisture-Reducing Compounds -- Conclusion -- References -- Processing Plant Investigations: Practical Approaches to Determining Sources of Persistent Bacterial Strains in the Industrial Food Processing Environment -- Persistent Strain Defined -- Adaptation -- Negligent Control Efforts or a Difficult Problem -- Why Dry Foods Present a Microbiological Risk -- Low-Water-Activity Considerations -- Microbes That Adapt to Dry Foods and Dry-Food Processing Environments -- The Problem of Effective Cleaning -- In-Plant Investigations -- The Problem of Effective Product Sampling -- The Problem of Perceptions -- "Not That Organism" (Listeria, Staphylococcus, Enterohemorrhagic E. coli, C. perfringens, B. cereus, and Emerging Strains) -- "Not That Equipment or Site" -- "Not That Cleaning Regime" (e.g., CIP, COP) -- "Not That Process" (e.g., Heat Treatments, Gas Treatments) -- Environmental Sampling Approaches -- Testing Approaches -- The Importance of Molecular Subtyping -- The Need for Molecular Subtyping -- The Need for Determining a Plausible Route of Infection.

Molecular Subtyping Approaches -- Approaches Used by Government Agencies -- Approaches Used by the Food Industry -- Approaches to Non-crisis Investigations -- Summary -- References -- Dry Cleaning, Wet Cleaning, and Alternatives to Processing Plant Hygiene and Sanitation -- Introduction -- Definitions -- Sanitation Objectives -- Lot Definition -- Allergen Removal -- Product Carry-Over/Claims/Other Hazards -- Functionality of Equipment: Operational Efficiency -- Pest Control -- Dry Sanitation Methods -- Dry Cleaning Methods -- Dry Sanitizing -- Wet Sanitation Methods -- Sanitation SOP Validation and Verification/Monitoring -- Sanitary Design of Equipment -- Processing Plant Hygiene -- Master Sanitation Schedule -- Environmental Moisture Leak Management -- Conclusions -- References -- Part III: Low aw Food Commodities of Interest -- Spices -- Introduction -- Raw Material and Processing -- Antimicrobial Constituents -- Microbiological Profile of Spices: An Overview -- Pathogens of Concern -- Sporeforming Microorganisms: Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, and Clostridium botulinum -- Molds and Mycotoxins -- Salmonella Species -- Recalls and Outbreaks -- Emerging Pathogens -- Prevention and Control -- References -- Dried Dairy-Based Products -- Types of Dried Dairy Products -- Ready-to-Cook Dried Dairy Product Ingredients -- Ready-to-Eat Products -- Microbiological Safety -- Microbiological Safety Record -- Selected Examples of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks and Recalls from Dry Milk Powder -- Risks -- Processing and Equipment -- Cleaning Considerations -- The Problem of Effective Cleaning -- Examples of Areas of Product Contamination Resulting from Drying Equipment -- Testing Programs -- Environmental Monitoring -- Product Testing -- In-Plant Investigations -- Summary/Conclusions -- References -- Low-Water Activity Meat Products -- Introduction.

Historical Overview of Salting and Drying of Meat -- Contemporary Methods of Producing Low-aw Meats -- Impact of aw Depression on the Microbiota of Meat -- Types of Products and Reported Water Activities -- Pork Products -- Beef Products -- Poultry Products -- Products with Meat from Other Species -- Dry and Semidry Sausages -- Dried Meat and Poultry Powders -- Illnesses and Microbial Contamination of Low-aw Meats -- Summaries of Illness Events and Outbreaks -- Microbial Contamination -- Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli -- Salmonella -- Listeria monocytogenes -- Staphylococcus aureus -- Clostridium botulinum and C. perfringens -- Molds and Mycotoxins -- Parasitic Pathogens -- Yeasts -- Spoilage -- Interventions Against Pathogens in Low-aw Jerky -- Summary and Conclusion -- References -- Dried Ready-to-Eat Cereal Products -- Introduction -- Ingredients -- RTE Cereal Processing -- Cooking -- Drying -- Flaking, Puffing, and Shredding -- Shredding -- Toasting -- Enrobing -- Packaging -- Snack Bar Processing -- Microbiological Hazards -- Salmonella -- Pathogens Other Than Salmonella -- Mycotoxins -- Control of Salmonella -- References -- Powdered Infant Formula -- Introduction -- Acquisition of Intestinal Flora by Neonates -- Cronobacter spp. -- The Cronobacter Genus -- Detection and Identification of Cronobacter spp. -- Multilocus Sequence Typing of Cronobacter spp. -- Pathogenicity of Cronobacter spp. and Infant Infections -- Sources of Cronobacter spp. -- Cronobacter spp. in PIF, Follow-Up Formula and Milk Powder Manufacturing Plants -- Physiological Attributes of Cronobacter spp. Tolerance to Stress -- Desiccation Tolerance and Osmotolerance -- Thermotolerance -- Salmonella Serovars -- Salmonella Serovars in Powdered Infant Formula-Associated Infant Infections -- Desiccation Tolerance of Salmonella Serovars -- Thermotolerance of Salmonella Serovars.

Other Enterobacteriaceae -- Regulatory and Advisory Issues -- FAO/WHO (2004, 2006, 2008) -- Codex Alimentarius Commission (2008): Microbiological Criteria -- Other Low-Moisture Products -- Conclusions -- References -- Nuts and Nut Pastes -- Introduction -- Foodborne Pathogens -- Outbreaks of Foodborne Illness -- Recalls of Nuts -- Prevalence and Levels of Foodborne Pathogens -- Potential Routes of Contamination -- Survival of Pathogens in Nuts and Nut-Processing Environments -- Control of Foodborne Pathogens -- Thermal Treatments -- Nonthermal Treatments -- Sanitation -- Conclusions -- References -- Flour and Meal -- Introduction -- Microorganisms of Interest -- Salmonella -- Thermal Resistance of Salmonella in Flour and Meal -- Mycotoxins -- Deoxynivalenol -- Fumonisins -- Ochratoxin A -- Aflatoxins -- Zearalenone -- Overview of Flour and Meal-Related Outbreaks -- Salmonella -- Human and Animal Mycotoxicosis -- Sources of Contamination Prior to Milling -- Preharvest Contamination -- Postharvest -- Managing and Mitigating Microbiological Risk During the Milling Process -- Grain Receiving and Cleaning -- Tempering -- Milling -- Water Control -- Pathogen Environmental Monitoring Program (PEM) -- Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM) -- Validated Lethality Processes -- Data Gaps -- Conclusion -- References -- Chocolate and Confectionary -- Introduction -- Overview of Confectionary-Related Outbreaks -- Chocolate -- Halva -- Other Confections -- Salmonella Risks in Chocolate Manufacture -- Salmonella Contamination of Raw Cocoa Beans -- Salmonella Risk Profile of Chocolate Making -- Chocolate Liquor -- Other Essential Components of Chocolate -- Inclusions Used in Chocolate Making -- Cocoa Powder -- Increased Thermal Resistance -- Low Infectious Dose -- Epidemiology -- Managing and Mitigating Salmonella Risk -- Process Validation and Monitoring.

Containment and Traffic Flow.

Local Note:

Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2017. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.

Subject Term:

Food -- Microbiology.

Food -- Safety measures.

Food -- Water activity.

Added Author:

Doyle, Michael P.

Kornacki, Jeffrey L.

Format:

Electronic Resources

Electronic Access:

Click here to view book

Publication Date:

2014

Publication Information:

New York, NY :

Springer New York,

2014.

Available:*

Shelf Number	Material Type	Copy	Shelf Location	Status
664.001579	1:E-BOOK	1	1:ON-DEMAND	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Low water activity (aw) and dried foods such as dried dairy and meat products, grain-based and dried ready-to-eat cereal products, powdered infant formula, peanut and nut pastes, as well as flours and meals have increasingly been associated with product recalls and foodborne outbreaks due to contamination by pathogens such as Salmonella spp. and enterohemorrhagic E. coli . In particular, recent foodborne outbreaks and product recalls related to Salmonella -contaminated spices have raised the level of public health concern for spices as agents of foodborne illnesses. Presently, most spices are grown outside the U.S., mainly in 8 countries: India, Indonesia, China, Brazil, Peru, Madagascar, Mexico and Vietnam. Many of these countries are under-developed and spices are harvested and stored with little heed to sanitation. The FDA has regulatory oversight of spices in the United States; however, the agency's control is largely limited to enforcing regulatory compliance through sampling and testing only after imported foodstuffs have crossed the U.S. border. Unfortunately, statistical sampling plans are inefficient tools for ensuring total food safety. As a result, the development and use of decontamination treatments is key.

This book provides an understanding of the microbial challenges to the safety of low aw foods, and a historic backdrop to the paradigm shift now highlighting low aw foods as vehicles for foodborne pathogens. Up-to-date facts and figures of foodborne illness outbreaks and product recalls are included. Special attention is given to the uncanny ability of Salmonella to persist under dry conditions in food processing plants and foods. A section is dedicated specifically to processing plant investigations, providing practical approaches to determining sources of persistent bacterial strains in the industrial food processing environment. Readers are guided throughdry cleaning, wet cleaning and alternatives to processing plant hygiene and sanitation. Separate chapters are devoted to low aw food commodities of interest including spices, dried dairy-based products, low aw meat products, dried ready-to-eat cereal products, powdered infant formula, nuts and nut pastes, flours and meals, chocolate and confectionary, dried teas and herbs, and pet foods. The book provides regulatory testing guidelines and recommendations as well as guidance through methodological and sampling challenges to testing spices and low aw foods for the presence of foodborne pathogens. Chapters also address decontamination processes for low aw foods, including heat, steam, irradiation, microwave, and alternative energy-based treatments.

Author Notes

Joshua B. Gurtler, USDA Research Scientist, Phoenixville, PA

Michael P. Doyle, Regents Professor of Food Microbiology, Director, Center for Food Safety, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA

Jeffrey L. Kornacki, President and Senior Technical Director, Kornacki Microbiology Solutions, Inc., Madison, WI