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Lecture 1. Sources of Microorganisms in Food

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Anégria Gahimbare
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146 views

Lecture 1. Sources of Microorganisms in Food

Uploaded by

Anégria Gahimbare
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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FOOD MICROBIOLOGY

Dr. Charles
History of microorganisms in Food
• Microorganisms get into food from both natural sources and from
external sources to which a food comes into contact from the time of
production until the time of consumption.
• Natural sources for foods of animal origin include skin, hairs, feathers,
gastrointestinal tract, urogenital tract, respiratory tract, milk
ducts(teat canal) in udders of milk animals.
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• Natural micro-flora exist in ecological balance with their hosts, and their types and
levels vary greatly with the types of plants and animals as well as their geographical
locations and environmental conditions.
• Besides natural microorganisms, foods can be contaminated with different types of
microorganisms coming from outside sources such as:
• Air
• soil-
• sewage-
• water-
• feeds-
• human-
• food ingredients-
• equipment-
• packages-
• insects
• Microbial types and their levels from these sources getting
into foods vary widely and depend on the degree of
sanitation used during the handling of foods.
Predominant Microorganisms In Different Sources

Plants ( Fruits and Vegetables)


• The inside tissue of foods from plant sources are essentially
sterile except for few porous vegetables( radishes, onion,
cabbage).Some plants produce natural antimicrobial
metabolites that can limit the presence of
microorganisms.Fruits and vegetables harbor
microorganisms on the surface ; their types and level vary
with:
• soil condition, type of fertilizer, water used,air quality.
Examples of Microorganisms In
Plants
Molds, Yeasts, lactic acid bacteria,Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes,
Micrococcus, Erwinia, Bacillus, Clostridium, Enterobacter.
Pathogens like enteric types can be present if the soil is
contaminated with untreated sewage.
Factors increasing the number of microorganisms in plants:
Diseases of the plant, damage of the surface, long delay
between harvesting and washing, unfavorable storage and
transport before processing and improper storage after
processing
Reduction of Microbial Load In Foods Of Plant Origin

Use of treated sewage for fertilizers


Damage reduction during harvesting
Quick washing with good quality water to remove soil and dirt.
Storage at low temperature before and after processing.
Animals, Birds, Fish and Shellfish

•
Food animals and birds normally carry many types of
indigenous microorganisms in gastrointestinal tract,
respiratory tract, urogenital tract and teat canal in the udder
as well as in skin, hooves, hair and feathers.
• The number of these microorganisms depends on the
specific organ e.g. in large intestine >1010/g.Many animals act
as carriers, they can harbor pathogens like S. aureus, E. coli,
Campylobacter, and Listeria without showing symptoms.
• Laying birds may carry S. enteritidis in the ovaries.
• Fish and shellfish carry normal flora in the scales, skin and
digestive tracts. They can also carry pathogenic bacteria e.g.
V. parahaemolyticus .
• Many spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms can get into
foods of animal origin (milk, egg, meat, fishery products)
during production and processing.
• Milk can be contaminated with fecal materials on the udder
surface.
• Meat can be contaminated with intestinal contents during
slaughtering.
• Meat from food animals and birds can be contaminated with
several spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms from skin,
hair and feathers e.g. S. aureus, Micrococcus,
Propionibacterium, Corynebacterium, Molds and Yeasts.
Prevention Of Food Contamination From Animal Sources

Good housing and supply of uncontaminated feed and water.


Testing animals and birds for pathogens and culling the
carriers.
Using good quality water for washing the carcases.
Hair removal.
Removal of Contaminated parts
Proper cleaning of the udder before milking.
.

• Cooling milk immediately after milking and processing


• Collection of eggs quickely after laying.
• Fish and marine products should be harvested from
unpolluted water, and stored properly.
Air
• Microorganisms are present in dust and moisture droplets in
the air.
• Microorganisms do not grow in dust.
• Microorganisms in air are transient and variable depending on
the environment.
• Level of Microorganisms in air is controlled by:
• The degree of humidity, Size, Level of dust particles,
Temperature, Air velocity and Resistance to drying .
• Dry air with low dust content and higher temperature has a low
microbial level
 Examples Of Microorganisms Present In Air

• Spores of Bacillus Spp.


• Clostridium Spp.
• Molds and
• Yeasts
• Cells of Gram Positive Bacteria e.g. Micrococcus and Sarcina
• If the surroundings contain a source of pathogens e.g. animal and
poultry farms or a sewage treatment plant, different types of
bacteria including pathogens and viruses can be transmitted via air.
• Control Measures:Removing potential sources, Air filtration,
Reducing humidity, Installing ultra violet lamps.
Soil
• Soil used to grow agricultural produce and raise animals and
birds contains several varieties of microorganisms.
• Microorganisms can multiply in soil and their numbers can
be very high(billions/g).
• Microorganisms Found In Soil: Molds and Yeasts,
Enterococcus, Bacillus, Clostridium, Enterobacter,
pseudomonas, Proteus, Micrococcus and Parasites.
• Soil contaminated with fecal materials can be in the foods.
source of enteric pathogens and viruses.
Sewage
• Sewage can contaminate crops with microorganisms when it
is used as fertilizer e.g. enteropathogenic bacteria, viruses
and parasites.
• Sewage should be treated before using as fertilizer to kill
pathogens.
• Effective washing of foods following harvesting is important.
Water
• Contamination of foods with pathogenic bacteria , viruses
and parasites has been recorded.
• Waste water can be recycled for irrigation.
• Potable water may contain bacteria capable of causing food
spoilage such as Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, flavobacterium.
• Improperly treated water can contain pathogenic and
spoilage microorganisms.
• Water used in food processing should be of higher microbial
quality than that of potable water.
Humans
• Between production and consumption, foods come in
contact with different people handling the foods, they
include:
• People working in farms
• People working in processing plants.
• People handling food in restaurants
• People in retail stores and at home.
• Human carriers have been a source of pathogenic
microorganisms in food.
Major Sources Of Microbial Contamination Of
Foods By Humans.
• Improperly cleaned hands.
• Lack of aesthetic sense and personal hygiene.
• Dirty clothes and hair.
• Presence of minor cuts and infection in hands and face.
• Diseases(Influenza, Throat infection, Hepatitis A and others).
Pathogens such as S. aureus, Salmonella, Shigella, Pathogenic E

• Pathogens such as S. aureus, Salmonella, Shigella,


Pathogenic E. coli, Hepatitis A can be introduced into food
from human sources.
Control Measures:
• Proper training of personnel in personal hygiene.
• Regular checking of health
• Maintaining efficient sanitary and aesthetic standards.
Food Ingredients

• Many ingredients can be the source of spoilage and


pathogenic microorganisms e.g. Spices have very high
populations of mold and bacterial spores
• The ingredients should be produced under sanitary
conditions.
• Setting up acceptable microbial specifications for the
ingredients.
Equipment can be a source of contamination
• Many microorganisms can get in food from equipment e.g
Salmonella, Listeria, Enteric bacteria, Micrococcus,
Escherichia, Pseudomonas, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc,
Clostridia, Bacillus, Yeast and Molds.
• Proper cleaning and sanitation of equipment should be
emphasized
Miscellaneous Food might be contaminated
from other sources;
• Packaging and Wrapping materials
• Containers
• Flies
• Vermins
• Birds
• House pets
• Rodents
• Proper care should be taken not to contaminate food from
these sources.

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