FOOD MICROBIOLOGY

SCOPE OF MICROBIOLOGY
The study of microbiology contributes greatly to the understanding of life through
enhancements and intervention of microorganisms.
There is an increase in demand for microbiologists globally.
A microbiologist can innovate new diagnostic kits, discover new drugs, teach,
research, etc.
SCOPE IN DIFFERENT FIELDS
The scope in this field is immense due to the involvement of microbiology in many fields
1. Medicine
2. Pharmacy
3. Diary
4. Industry
5. clinical research
6. water industry
7. Agriculture
8. chemical technology
9. nanotechnology.
CAREER PROSPECTS:

Microbiologists can work in the area of food, pharmacy, agrochemistry

biotechnology, environment, pollution control
In the field of agriculture, microbiologists act as environmental and health specialists
to study the role of microbes in plant disease, pest control, nutrition and soil fertility.
In the field of medicine and health care, the work is usually associated with
diagnosis, prevention and treatment of illnesses associated with microbes.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:
•Research Assistant
•Food, Industrial or
Environmental Microbiologists
•Quality Assurance
Technologists
•Clinical and Veterinary
Microbiologists
•Medical Technologists
• Biomedical Scientist
• Clinical Research
Associate
• Microbiologist
• Pharmacologist
• Food Technologist
• Scientific Laboratory
Technician
• Research Scientist (life
sciences)
CLASSIFICATION OF
MICROORGANISMS
Living cellular organisms, on
the basis of phylogenetic and
evolutionary relationships,
were grouped originally in
five kingdoms
CLASSIFICATION OF
MICROORGANISMS
in which bacteria belonged to –
procaryotes (before nucleus) and
the eucaryotic (with nucleus) molds and
yeasts were grouped under fungi
CLASSIFICATION OF
MICROORGANISMS
In the 1970s, the procaryotic domain was changed to – Eubacteria – Archaebacteria
In the 1990s, this was changed to Bacteria and Archaea, respectively.
Archaea include most extremophiles and are not important to food microbiology.
Viruses are not considered as living cells and are not included in this classification
system.
TAXONOMY
For the classification of yeasts, molds, and bacteria, several ranks are used after the
kingdom: divisions, classes, orders, families, genera (singular genus), and species.
The basic taxonomic group is the species.
Several species with similar characteristics form a genus
The first name is always capitalized (Genus)
The second name is always denoted in lower case letters(species)
Both names are always italicized or underlined
TAXONOMY
VIRUSES
Evolutionary relationships among viruses, if any, are not known.
Their classification system is rather arbitrary and based on the types of disease they
cause (such as the hepatitis virus, causing inflammation of the liver), nucleic acid
content (RNA or DNA, single stranded or double stranded), and morphological
structures.
 In food, two groups of viruses are important:
the bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) of starter culture bacteria and some
foodborne pathogenic bacteria
the human pathogenic viruses associated with foodborne diseases
 MORPHOLOGICAL,CULTURAL AND
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
OF MICRORGAISMS
MORPHOLOGY

Morphology is a study of the size,

shape, and structure of animals, plants,
and microorganisms and of the
relationships of their constituent parts.
BACTERIA
Bacteria are microscopic, unicellular and prokaryotic micro-organisms
The first records of the word bacteria come from around 1860.
It ultimately comes from the Greek word baktḗria, meaning “little sticks.”
or “ROD”
Some bacteria resemble sticks or rods, while others have different shapes.
bacteria, singular bacterium, any of a group of microscopic single-celled
organisms that live in enormous numbers in almost every where
 BACTERIA
Among the microorganisms found in foods, bacteria constitute major important groups.
This is not only because many different species can be present in foods, but also for their rapid
growth rate
ability to utilize food nutrients
ability to grow under a wide range of temperatures, pH, and water activity
as well as to better survive adverse situations, such as survival of spores at high temperature.
BACTERIA
Bacteria are microbes with a cell structure simpler than that of many other organisms
Their control centre, containing the genetic information, is contained in a single
loop of DNA.
Some bacteria have an extra circle of genetic material called a plasmid rather than a
nucleus.
The plasmid often contains genes that give the bacterium some advantage over other
bacteria.
For example it may contain a gene that makes the bacterium resistant to a certain
antibiotic.
 BACTERIA
Bacteria are found in every habitat on Earth: soil, rock, oceans and even arctic snow.
Some live in or on other organisms including plants and animals including humans.
There are approximately 10 times as many bacterial cells as human cells in the human body.
A lot of these bacterial cells are found lining the digestive system.
Some bacteria live in the soil or on dead plant matter where they play an important role in
the cycling of nutrients.
Some types cause food spoilage and crop damage but others are incredibly useful in the
production of fermented foods such as yoghurt and soy sauce.
bacteria are parasites or pathogens that cause disease in animals and plant
WHAT ARE THE THREE DIFFERENT
TYPES OF BACTERIAL MORPHOLOGY?
Shape of Bacterial Cell
The three basic bacterial shapes
are
coccus (spherical)
bacillus (rod-shaped)
 spiral (twisted)
EXAMPLES
CLASSIFICATIONS
Classification of bacteria based on Shape
Classification of bacteria based on the Composition of the Cell Wall
Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria
Classification of bacteria based on the Mode of Nutrition
Autotrophic bacteria ------- Cyanobacteria
Heterotrophic bacteria------ All disease-causing bacteria
Classification of bacteria based on the Mode of Respiration
Aerobic and Anaerobic bacteria
BACTERIAL CELL
STRUCTURE
CELL WALL
Each bacterium is enclosed by a rigid cell wall composed of peptidoglycan,
a protein-sugar (polysaccharide) molecule.
The wall gives the cell its shape and surrounds the cytoplasmic membrane,
protecting it from the environment.
It also helps to anchor appendages like the pili and flagella, which originate
in the cytoplasm membrane and protrude through the wall to the outside
CYTOPLASMIC MEMBRANE
A layer of phospholipids and proteins, called the cytoplasmic membrane,
encloses the interior of the bacterium
regulating the flow of materials in and out of the cell.
A barrier that allows them to selectively interact with their environment.
Membranes are also dynamic, constantly adapting to different conditions.
 CAPSULE
Some species of bacteria have a third protective covering, a capsule made
up of polysaccharides (complex carbohydrates).
Capsules play a number of roles, but the most important are to keep the
bacterium from drying out and to protect it from phagocytosis (engulfing) by
larger microorganisms.
CYTOPLASM AND NUCLEOID
It is a gel-like matrix composed of water, enzymes, nutrients, wastes, and
gases and contains cell structures such as ribosomes, a chromosome, and
plasmids
he nucleoid is a region of cytoplasm where the chromosomal DNA is
located
It is not a membrane bound nucleus, but simply an area of the cytoplasm
where the strands of DNA are found
Most bacteria have a single, circular chromosome that is responsible for
replication, although a few species do have two or more
FLAGELLA
Flagella (singular, flagellum) are hairlike structures that provide a means of
locomotion
They can be found at either or both ends of a bacterium or all over its
surface
The flagella beat in a propeller-like motion to help the bacterium move
toward nutrients; away from toxic chemicals
In the case of the photosynthetic cyanobacteria; toward the light.
PILI
Many species of bacteria have pili (singular, pilus), small hairlike
projections emerging from the outside cell surface
These outgrowths assist the bacteria in attaching to other cells and surfaces,
such as teeth, intestines, and rocks
Without pili, many disease-causing bacteria lose their ability to infect
because they're unable to attach to host tissue
Specialized pili are used for conjugation, during which two bacteria
exchange fragments of plasmid DNA
RIBOSOMES

Center of protein synthesis

They are called 70S
Two units -----50S and 30S
They translate the genetic code from the molecular language of nucleic acid
to that of amino acids—the building blocks of proteins.
Proteins are the molecules that perform all the functions of cells and living
organism
PLASMIDS
BACTERIA REPRODUCTION
Bacteria follow an asexual mode of reproduction, called binary fission.
 A single bacterium divides into two daughter cells.
These are identical to the parent cell as well as to each other. Replication of
DNA within the parent bacterium marks the beginning of the fission
Bacterial reproduction is strictly asexual, but it can undergo sexual
reproduction in very rare cases.
BINARY FISSION
GRAM POSITIVE AND GRAM
NEGATIVE BACTERIA
Danish scientist Hans Christian Gram devised a method to differentiate two
types of bacteria based on the structural differences in their cell walls
In his test, bacteria that retain the crystal violet dye do so because of a thick
layer of peptidoglycan and are called Gram-positive bacteria
 In contrast, Gram negative bacteria do not retain the violet dye and are
colored red or pink.
Compared with Gram-positive bacteria, Gram negative bacteria are more
resistant against antibodies
DIFFERENCE
GRAM POSITIVE AND GRAM
NEGATIVE BACTERIA
IMPORTANT BACTERIAL
GROUPS IN FOODS
Lactic Acid Bacteria
They are bacteria that produce relatively large quantities of lactic acid from
carbohydrates.
Species mainly from genera Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus,
Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus thermophilus are included in this group
Acetic Acid Bacteria
They are bacteria that produce acetic acid, such as Acetobacter aceti
IMPORTANT BACTERIAL
GROUPS IN FOODS
Propionic Acid Bacteria
They are bacteria that produce propionic acid and are used in dairy
fermentation. Species such as Propionibacterium
Butyric Acid Bacteria
They are bacteria that produce butyric acid in relatively large amounts. Some
Clostridium spp.
Saccharolytic Bacteria
They are bacteria that are able to hydrolyze complex carbohydrates. Species
in genera Bacillus, Clostridium
IMPORTANT BACTERIAL
GROUPS IN FOODS
Proteolytic Bacteria
They are bacteria that can hydrolyze proteins because they produce extracellular
proteinases.
Species in genera Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Clostridium,
Pseudomonas
Lipolytic Bacteria
They are bacteria that are able to hydrolyze triglycerides because they produce
extracellular lipases.
Species in genera Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and
Flavobacterium are included in this group
IMPORTANT BACTERIAL
GROUPS IN FOODS
Thermophilic Bacteria
They are bacteria that are able to grow at 50 ͦC and above.
Species from genera Bacillus, Clostridium, Pediococcus, Streptococcus, and
Lactobacillus are included in this group.
Psychrotrophic Bacteria
They are bacteria that are able to grow at refrigerated temperature (5 ͦ C).
Some species from Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Bacillus, Clostridium,
Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Listeria, Yersinia, are included in this group
 IMPORTANT BACTERIAL
GROUPS IN FOODS
Thermoduric Bacteria
They are bacteria that are able to survive pasteurization temperature treatment.
Some species from Micrococcus, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus
Halotolerant Bacteria
They are bacteria that are able to survive high salt concentrations 10%).
Some species from Bacillus, Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Pediococcus, Vibrio
Aciduric Bacteria
They are bacteria that are able to survive at low pH less than 4.0
Some species from Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Lactococcus, Enterococcus, and
Streptococcus are included in this group.
IMPORTANT BACTERIAL
GROUPS IN FOODS
Gas-Producing Bacteria
They are bacteria that produce gas (CO2, H2 , H2 S) during metabolism of nutrients.
Species from genera Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, Propionibacterium, Escherichia
Slime Producers
They are bacteria that produce slime because they synthesise polysaccharides. Some
species or strains from Xanthomonas, Leuconostoc
Spore Formers
They are bacteria having the ability to produce spores.
Species from Bacillus, Clostridium are included in this group.
They are further divided into aerobic sporeformers, anaerobic sporeformers
IMPORTANT BACTERIAL
GROUPS IN FOODS
Aerobes
They are bacteria that require oxygen for growth and multiplication. Species from
Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Flavobacterium are included in this group. R.
Anaerobes
They are bacteria that cannot grow in the presence of oxygen. Species from
Clostridium are included in this group.
Facultative Anaerobes
They are bacteria that are able to grow in both the presence and absence of
oxygen.
Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Leuconostoc,
PHYSIOLOGICAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF
BACTERIA
Bacterial chemical components
Water: free water and bound water.
Inorganic salt: phosphors, potassium ,magnesium, calcium, sodium, etc.
Protein: 50%-80% of dry weight according bacterial kinds and age.
Sugar: mainly distributing in cell wall and capsule.
Lipids: composed of lipid, fatty acid, wax, etc.
Nucleic acid: RNA and DNA.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
AFFECTING GROWTH OF
BACTERIA
Nutrients
Water , Carbon source ,Nitrogen source, Minerals
Temperature
hydrogen ion concentration ( pH )
Oxygen Requirements
 Osmotic pressure
TEMPERATURE AND PH
Temperature
Psychrophilic forms (15-20℃)
Mesophilic forms （ 30-37℃ ） include all human pathogens and opportunists.
Thermophilic forms （ 50-60℃ ）
PH
Neutrophilic （ 5 to 8 ）
Acidophilic （ below 5.5 ）
Alkaliphilic （ above 8.5 ）
 O2 REQUIREMENTS
Bacteria on the basis of their oxygen requirements can be classified into
Aerobic bacteria
Anaerobic bacteria.
Aerobic bacteria:
They require oxygen for their growth. They may be:
Obligate aerobes—which can grow only in the presence of oxygen
Facultative aerobes—which are ordinary aerobes but can also grow without
oxygen (e.g., E. coli). Most of the pathogenic bacteria are facultative aerobes.
O2 REQUIREMENTS
Microaerophilic bacteria
those bacteria that can grow in the presence of low oxygen and in the
presence of low (4%) concentration of oxygen.
Anaerobic bacteria:
Obligate anaerobes are the bacteria that can grow only in the absence of
oxygen (e.g., Clostridium tetani,). oxygen is lethal to these organisms.