Predictive Modeling of Microbial Behavior in Food

Abstract

Microorganisms can contaminate food, thus causing food spoilage and health risks when the food is consumed. Foods are not sterile; they have a natural flora and a transient flora reflecting their environment. To ensure food is safe, we must destroy these microorganisms or prevent their growth. Recurring hazards due to lapses in the handling, processing, and distribution of foods cannot be solved by obsolete methods and inadequate proposals. They require positive approach and resolution through the pooling of accumulated knowledge. As the industrial domain evolves rapidly and we are faced with pressures to continually improve both products and processes, a considerable competitive advantage can be gained by the introduction of predictive modeling in the food industry. Research and development capital concerns of the industry have been preserved by investigating the plethora of factors able to react on the final product. The presence of microorganisms in foods is critical for the quality of the food. However, microbial behavior is closely related to the properties of food itself such as water activity, pH, storage conditions, temperature, and relative humidity. The effect of these factors together contributing to permitting growth of microorganisms in foods can be predicted by mathematical modeling issued from quantitative studies on microbial populations. The use of predictive models permits us to evaluate shifts in microbial numbers in foods from harvesting to production, thus having a permanent and objective evaluation of the involving parameters. In this vein, predictive microbiology is the study of the microbial behavior in relation to certain environmental conditions, which assure food quality and safety. Microbial responses are evaluated through developed mathematical models, which must be validated for the specific case. As a result, predictive microbiology modeling is a useful tool to be applied for quantitative risk assessment. Herein, we review the predictive models that have been adapted for improvement of the food industry chain through a built virtual prototype of the final product or a process reflecting real-world conditions. It is then expected that predictive models are, nowadays, a useful and valuable tool in research as well as in industrial food conservation processes.

The Inclusion of the Food Microstructural Influence in Predictive Microbiology: State-of-the-Art

“…Predictive microbiology encompasses the development of mathematical models to evaluate and predict the effect of environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, pH, CO 2 level, salt concentration, water activity) on the (growth, survival, and inactivation) behaviour of microorganisms in food (model) systems [ 1 , 2 ]. While some simple model types have been developed over the years, most predictive models are continuous dynamical models that consist of a set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) [ 3 ].…”

“…While some simple model types have been developed over the years, most predictive models are continuous dynamical models that consist of a set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) [ 3 ]. The models are useful tools to assess and design processing, distribution, and storage operations to assure the microbiological safety and quality of food products [ 1 , 2 ]. To date, predictive models have been widely accepted by food producers, governments, and scientists as a sound scientific approach to accomplish legal food safety requirements [ 4 ].…”

Characterization of the food microbiota in ready-to-eat Mexican foods.

“…The cheeses are an example of ingredients in the recipe of some dishes that contribute to the microbiota present in the ready-to-eat food, ingested almost three times every day by the commensals [4]. Although the microbiota which is present in the food ingredients is usually well characterized [5], the reports about the characterization of the microbiota present in ready-to-eat food are scarce [6]. In this work we explored the microbiota present in ready-to-eat Mexican dishes with the purpose of characterizing the bacterial communities which are ingested in the everyday feeding.…”

COVID-19 Outbreak and Impact on Food Safety

“…Strict guidelines and regulations are applied in the food industry under the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) management system for food safety (6). HACCP is applied in all different parts of the chain in food industry and even starts from growing, harvesting and collecting the raw material following Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) plans.…”

“…Without any doubt, the successful implementation and success of a HACCP program depends on the thorough and systematic education and training the staff for producing safe foods. Food workers should be instructed to apply specific manipulations to minimize major hazards to the food chain (6). In all cases, the staff should acquire a deep knowledge of good hygiene practices, sanitation and cleaning procedures in the food plant as well as personnel hygiene rules to work in the plant.…”