Microbiology of plant foods and related aspects

Abstract

Vegetables and fruits are staple food for the human mankind, and they are also considered as the symbol of healthy nutrition. They are consumed fresh and cooked, in salad mixes, freshly pressed, fermented, minimally processed form, stored under different conditions, etc. Since they are in close contact with the environment, natural or artificial, and have a natural microbiota on their surface highly variable as a function of the surrounding, they are prone to get contaminated with human pathogens, too. More attention is paid to the food-borne outbreaks in the last 10 years related to the consumption of contaminated plant foods, and it is also in the focus of our interest. The main activities of the Unit cover the following areas: microbial contamination of fruits and vegetables, also in relation to the soil, the methods of cell count reduction using also non-thermal methods, the biofilm formation and the response ofBacillus cereusto the technological stresses.