Food Microbiology Lecture Review

Flashcards reviewing key vocabulary from a food microbiology lecture.

What are the ugly and bad aspects of food microbiology?

The spoilage, or the foodborne microbial diseases

How many cases of foodborne diseases are estimated to occur in Australia annually?

2 to 4 million cases per year

What are the most common causes for food recalls?

Undeclared allergens and microbial contamination

What are the most commonly implicated foods in foodborne disease outbreaks based on the 2016 data?

Eggs, fish, and poultry

According to 2016 data, what food preparation setting is most often implicated in foodborne disease outbreaks in Australia?

Restaurants account for 46% of outbreaks

Which organism is commonly regarded as the most important regarding foodborne microbial diseases?

Salmonella

What factors contribute to foodborne microbial disease outbreaks?

Food contaminated with pathogenic organisms above the acceptable level and food obtained from unsafe sources.

What is the 'danger zone' in terms of food storage temperature?

A temperature range between 4 degrees Celsius and 60 degrees Celsius where pathogens can grow.

What is the difference between exotoxins and endotoxins?

Exotoxins are produced and released outside the microbial cell, while endotoxins are toxic components of bacterial cell walls released when the bacteria die.

What is foodborne intoxication?

Bacteria typically grow in food and produce exotoxins.

What is foodborne infection?

Live bacterial cells must be present in high numbers and adhere to the intestinal wall and start to grow.

Why is the effective dose of a pathogen not a fixed figure?

It varies with different microorganisms, toxins, and the health status of the consumer.

What are the beneficial contributions of food microbes?

Microbes used in the production of many food ingredients, traditional and industrial fermented food products, probiotic supplements, and biocontrol cultures.

What is the role of lactic acid bacteria in fermented food?

Lactic acid bacteria produce lactic acid, which makes the environment more acidic. Most microbes don't grow, including most pathogens, in an acidic environment.

What are the benefits of food fermentation?

Giving desirable sensory qualities, preservation, improved safety, and increased nutritional value.

What are the major microbes involved in food fermentation?

Lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, filamentous fungi (mold), and acetic acid bacteria.

How did the study of wine contribute to microbiology?

The study of wine fermentation contributed to Louis Pasteur being regarded as the father of modern microbiology.

Which bacteria has a consistently negative result in wine production?

Acetic acid bacteria can cause souring of wine.

What are the two stages does milk undergo microbial fermentation?

Microbial fermentation is involved in two stages: milk fermentation and maturation.

What specific microorganism ferments the soybeans that create tempeh?

Rhizopus oligosporus.

Why does tempeh boast superior flavor and nutritional value?

Tempeh become more flavorful and nutritious as enzymes produced by the mold hydrolyze lipids and proteins, and produce vitamins and minerals.