FOOD
FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
Read articles about food microbiology from Microbiologics’ experts and other field experts.
A Valentine’s Day Ode to Ella (the Infamous Salmonella)
There once was a little bacilli named Ella, who was of the genus (the infamous!) Salmonella. She lived in the earth on a hot, humid farm, in the shade of a cocoa tree, where she inflicted no harm. Ella dreamed of her future, of chromosomal division, of...
What Microbes Might Attend Your Holiday Party?
This holiday season, you will unwittingly indulge upon a wide variety of microorganisms. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, microbes are certain to be present at your dinner table. Be sure to avoid the harmful microorganisms and celebrate with the...
What Labs Should Know about STECs
STEC may not be a household term, but it is of great significance to food and clinical laboratories. In this post, we will describe what laboratories can do to help protect the public from this harmful and increasingly important group of bacteria. The information...
The Who’s Who of E. coli Strains
Escherichia coli may be the world’s most recognized bacterial species, but this one species varies tremendously. E. coli is found almost everywhere; from soil to raw meat to human intestines. There are plenty of good E. coli strains such as those that assist in food...
Norovirus: The Notorious Virus
The average soccer ball is about 1.6 million times bigger than a grain of sand. A grain of sand is about a million times bigger than a single bacterial cell, and a single bacterial cell can be 40 to 100 times bigger than a norovirus particle. It is astonishing that...
Food Safety Trivia Game
Take part in National Food Safety Month and test your food microbiology knowledge with our latest trivia game! Good luck! [quiz-cat id="2398"]
Green Fluorescent Protein: Shining New Light on Food QC
Photo: Bioluminescent plankton in the Maldives Images of plankton illuminating shorelines and the brilliant, glowing colors of deep-sea marine life fascinate and amaze us. Bioluminescent organisms are not only beautiful; they are a source for important life science...
Environmental Isolate Case Files: Listeria monocytogenes
Ubiquitous in nature, Listeria monocytogenes can be found in many contamination sources making it difficult to eliminate from food processing facilities. Characteristics, such as the ability to grow at refrigerator temperatures, form biofilms, thrive in moist...
Methods for Growth Success: Microaerophiles
When growing microorganisms, several conditions including incubation time, temperature, pH, adequate moisture and sufficient nutrients (such as carbon and nitrogen) must be considered to ensure successful results. Even experienced microbiologists can run into growth...
Poultry Plants: Reducing Consumer Risk of Salmonella and Campylobacter
Last December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) released a draft of the Compliance Guideline for Controlling Salmonella and Campylobacter in Raw Poultry Fourth Edition to help control food safety hazards in poultry...
