Microbiological Examination Methods of Food and Water: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Edition

Microbiological Examination Methods of Food and Water (2nd edition) is an illustrated laboratory manual that provides an overview of current standard microbiological culture methods for the examination of food and water, adhered to by renowned international organizations, such as ISO, AOAC, APHA, FDA and FSIS/USDA. It includes methods for the enumeration of indicator microorganisms of general contamination, indicators of hygiene and sanitary conditions, sporeforming, spoilage fungi and pathogenic bacteria.

Every chapter begins with a comprehensive, in-depth and updated bibliographic reference on the microorganism(s) dealt with in that particular section of the book. The latest facts on the taxonomic position of each group, genus or species are given, as well as clear guidelines on how to deal with changes in nomenclature on the internet. All chapters provide schematic comparisons between the methods presented, highlighting the main differences and similarities. This allows the user to choose the method that best meets his/her needs. Moreover, each chapter lists validated alternative quick methods, which, though not described in the book, may and can be used for the analysis of the microorganism(s) dealt with in that particular chapter. The didactic setup and the visualization of procedures in step-by-step schemes allow the user to quickly perceive and execute the procedure intended. Support material such as drawings, procedure schemes and laboratory sheets are available for downloading and customization.

This compendium will serve as an up-to-date practical companion for laboratory professionals, technicians and research scientists, instructors, teachers and food and water analysts. Alimentary engineering, chemistry, biotechnology and biology (under)graduate students specializing in food sciences will also find the book beneficial. It is furthermore suited for use as a practical/laboratory manual for graduate courses in Food Engineering and Food Microbiology.

Neusely da Silva is a scientific researcher at the Food Technology Institute (ITAL), a government research agency of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. She graduated in Food Engineering and has a PhD in Food Science from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP, Brazil). Director of the Microbiology Reference Laboratory of the Food Technology Institute from 1995 to 2007, she was responsible for the accreditation of the laboratory assays according to ISO 17025. She is author of over 70 publications in the area of Food Microbiology and her major research areas are bacterial physiology and methods for detection of bacteria responsible for food-borne diseases and bacteria responsible for food spoilage.

Marta Hiromi Taniwaki, PhD, is a scientific researcher at the Food Technology Institute (ITAL) at the Center of Quality and Food Science in Campinas, Brazil. She graduated in Biology and has a PhD in Food Science and Technology from the University of New South Wales, Australia She is author of over 100 publications in the area of Food Mycology, Mycotoxins and Food Microbiology. She is member of the International Commission on Food Mycology (ICFM) since 1997; member of the Brazilian delegation at the Codex Contaminants in Food (CCCF) since 2006; Member of the International Commission on Microbiologi¬cal Specifications for Foods (ICMSF) since 2010 and editorial board of Myco¬toxin Research since 2012. Her major research areas are: fungi and mycotoxins in foods; biodiversity of toxigenic fungi in foods, fungal physiology and mycotoxin production, polyphasic approach to biosystematics of Aspergillus species.

Valéria Christina Amstalden Junqueira was a scientific researcher at the Food Technology Institute (ITAL) at the Center of Quality and Food Science (CCQA) in Campinas, SP, Brazil from 1988 to 2016 and Director of the Microbiology Reference Laboratory at ITAL from 2011 to 2015. She graduated in Biology and has PhD in Food Technology from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP, Brazil) in the area of hygiene and legislation of foods. She has been a member of the Brazilian delegation at the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) since 2002. Her major research activities are on the control of the microbiological quality of food with an emphasis on anaerobic bacteria, spoilage microorganisms of processed foods, microbiological quality of water and non-alcoholic beverages.

Neliane Ferraz de Arruda Silveira is a scientific researcher at the Food Technology Institute (ITAL) at the Center of Quality and Food Science in Campinas, Brazil. She is a biologist with PhD in Food Technology from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP, Brazil), in the area of hygiene and legislation of foods. Her major research areas are the control of microbiological quality of food with emphasis on fish and fish products, minimally processed vegetables, foods served in collective meals, meat products and bacteriological quality of drinking water.

Margarete Midori Okazaki is a scientific researcher at the Food Technology Institute (ITAL), at the Center of Quality and Food Science in Campinas, Brazil. She graduated in Food Engineering and has a Master Science degree (Msc.) in Food Technology from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP, Brazil). She is vice director of the Microbiology Reference Laboratory of the Food Technology Institute and concentrates her activities on the control of the microbiological quality of food and water and on technical training focused on microbiological examination methods.

Renato Abeilar Romeiro Gomes is a scientific researcher at the Food Technology Institute (ITAL), Campinas, Brazil. He graduated in Agricultural Engineer and has a Master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Federal University of Viçosa, with MBA specialization. He is currently a researcher at the Dairy Technology Center of the Food Technology Institute.