Alicia L. Ragout de Spencer – författare

Expert laboratorians present a wide ranging set of detailed techniques for investigating the nature, products, and extent of the microorganisms involved in the manufacture and spoilage of foodstuff. The methods cover pathogenic organisms that cause spoilage, microorganisms in fermented foods, and microorganisms producing metabolites that affect the flavor or nutritive value of foods. Included in the section dealing with fermented foods are procedures for the maintenance of lactic acid bacteria, the isolation of plasmid and genomic DNA from species Lactobacillus, and the determination of proteolytic activity of lactic acid bacteria. A substantial number of chapters are devoted to yeasts, their use in food and beverage production, and techniques for improving industrially important strains. Comprehensive and timely, Food Microbiology Protocols is a gold-standard collection of readily reproducible techniques essential for the study of the wide variety of microorganisms involved in food production, quality, storage, and preservation today.

A collection of readily reproducible techniques for determining most of the important factors governing microorganisms and their habitats. Presented in step-by-step detail, these cutting-edge methods range from those for the study of marine organisms, to those for investigating microorganisms occurring in groundwater, to the biodiversity of yeasts found in remote environments. The novel protocols for studying fermented milks are significant for investigators concerned with milk as an item of food for infants, small children, and even adults. Additional methods for the recovery and determination of nucleic acids and other compounds affecting, and affected by, microorganisms are given for certain enzymes produced by plant pathogens and for obtaining microbial species tolerant of such inhibitors as heavy metals.

A collection of readily reproducible laboratory methods for the determination of various pathogenic microorganisms, their effects, and possible measures that can be taken to counter them. For bacterial and viral pathogens, the authors give special attention to PCR methods for detecting genes resistant to tetracycline, for resistance in Salmonella enterica, and for identifying and typing Campylobacter coli. For fungi the authors offer methods for computerized analysis and typing of fungal isolates, for the isolation and enumeration of fungi in foods, and for the determination of aflatoxin and zearalenone. Other methods deal with hazard analysis, the use of disinfectants, microbiological analysis of cosmetics, microbiological tests for sanitation equipment in factories, and the uses of animals in studies of various characteristics of lactobacilli. Review articles address the spread of pathogens from livestock and poultry production, including the threat of prion-based diseases.

Two of the recent books in the Methods in Molecular Biology series, Yeast Protocols and Pichia Protocols, have been narrowly focused on yeasts and, in the latter case, particular species of yeasts. Food Microbiology Pro- cols, of necessity, covers a very wide range of microorganisms. Our book treats four categories of microorganisms affecting foods: (1) Spoilage organisms; (2) pathogens; (3) microorganisms in fermented foods; and (4) microorganisms p- ducing metabolites that affect the flavor or nutritive value of foods. Detailed information is given on each of these categories. There are several chapters devoted to the microorganisms associated with fermented foods: these are of increasing importance in food microbiology, and include one bacteriophage that kills the lactic acid bacteria involved in the manufacture of different foods—cottage cheese, yogurt, sauerkraut, and many others. The other nine chapters give procedures for the maintenance of lactic acid bacteria, the isolation of plasmid and genomic DNA from species of Lac- bacillus, determination of the proteolytic activity of lactic acid bacteria, det- mination of bacteriocins, and other important topics.

The methods included in Environmental Microbiology: Methods and Pro- cols can be placed in the categories “Communities and Biofilms,” “Fermented Milks,” “Recovery and Determination of Nucleic Acids,” and the review s- tion, containing chapters on the endophytic bacterium, Bacillus mojavensis, the engineering of bacteria to enhance their ability to carry out bioremediation of aromatic compounds, using the hemoglobin gene from a strain of Vitreoscilla 23 spp., and the use of chemical shift reagents and Na NMR to study sodium gradients in microorganisms, all of which should be of interest to investigators in these fields. The subjects treated within the different categories also cover a wide range, with methods ranging from those for the study of marine organisms, through those for the investigation of microorganisms occurring in ground waters, including subsurface ground waters, to other types of environmental waters, to as varied subjects as the biodiversity of yeasts found in northwest Argentina. The range of topics described in the Fermented Milks section is smaller, but significant for investigators in areas concerned with milk as an item of foods for infants, small children, and even adults.

Public Health Microbiology: Methods and Protocols is focused on microorganisms that can present a hazard to human health in the course of everyday life. There are chapters dealing with organisms that are directly pathogenic to humans, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi; on organisms that produce toxins during growth in their natural habitats; on the use of bacteriocins produced by such organisms as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria; as well as several chapters on hazard analysis, the use of disinfectants, microbiological analysis of cosmetics, and microbiological tests for sanitation equipment in food factories. Additional chapters look at the use of animals (mice) in the study of the various characteristics of milk and their relationships with lactic acid bacteria in particular. Other chapters focus on special methods for determining particular components of milk. In particular, in Parts I and II, on bacterial and viral pathogens, special attention is given to methods for PCR detection of genes with resistance to tetracycline, as well as to Salmonella enterica; for identification and typing of Campylobacter coli; for detection of the abundance of enteric viruses, hepatitis A virus, and rotaviruses in sewage, and of bacteriophages infecting the O157:H7 strain of Escherichia coli. Part III offers methods for computerized analysis and typing of fungal isolates, for isolation and enumeration of fungi in foods, and for the determination of aflatoxin and zearalenone.

Expert laboratorians present a wide ranging set of detailed techniques for investigating the nature, products, and extent of the microorganisms involved in the manufacture and spoilage of foodstuff. The methods cover pathogenic organisms that cause spoilage, microorganisms in fermented foods, and microorganisms producing metabolites that affect the flavor or nutritive value of foods. Included in the section dealing with fermented foods are procedures for the maintenance of lactic acid bacteria, the isolation of plasmid and genomic DNA from species Lactobacillus, and the determination of proteolytic activity of lactic acid bacteria. A substantial number of chapters are devoted to yeasts, their use in food and beverage production, and techniques for improving industrially important strains. Comprehensive and timely, Food Microbiology Protocols is a gold-standard collection of readily reproducible techniques essential for the study of the wide variety of microorganisms involved in food production, quality, storage, and preservation today.

A collection of readily reproducible techniques for determining most of the important factors governing microorganisms and their habitats. Presented in step-by-step detail, these cutting-edge methods range from those for the study of marine organisms, to those for investigating microorganisms occurring in groundwater, to the biodiversity of yeasts found in remote environments. The novel protocols for studying fermented milks are significant for investigators concerned with milk as an item of food for infants, small children, and even adults. Additional methods for the recovery and determination of nucleic acids and other compounds affecting, and affected by, microorganisms are given for certain enzymes produced by plant pathogens and for obtaining microbial species tolerant of such inhibitors as heavy metals.