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Since our subject is broad, covering a diversity of topics from viruses to hilliness (by way of the bacteria) and from pathogenic to physical chemistry, this can make presentation of a coherent treatment difficult; but it is also part of what makes food microbiology such an interesting and challenging subject. The book is directed primarily at students of Microbiology, Food Science and related subjects up to Master’s level and assumes some knowledge of basic microbiology. We have chosen not to burden the text with references to the primary literature in order to preserve what we hope is a reasonable narrative flow. Some suggestions for further reading for each chapter are included in Chapter 12. These are largely review articles and monographs which develop the overview provided and can also give access to the primary literature if required.
We have included references that we consider are among the most current or best (not necessarily the same thing) at the time of writing, but have also taken the liberty of including some of the older, classic texts which we feel are well worth revisiting on occasion. By the very nature of current scientific publishing, many of our most recent references may soon become dated themselves. There is a steady stream of research publications and reviews appearing in journals such as Food Microbiology, Food Technology, the International Journal of Food Microbiology, the Journal of Applied Bacteriology and the Journal of Food Protection and we recommend that these sources are regularly surveyed to supplement the material provided here.
We are indebted to our numerous colleagues in food microbiology from whose writings and conversation we have learned so such over the years. In particular we would like to acknowledge Peter Bean for looking through the section on heat processing, Ann Dale and Janet Cole for their help with the figures and tables and, finally, our long suffering families of whom we hope to see more in the future. Preface to the Second Edition The very positive response Food Microbiology has had since it was first published has been extremely gratifying. It has reconfirmed our belief in the value of the original project and has also helped motivate us to produce this second edition.
We have taken the opportunity to correct minor errors, improve some of the diagrams and update the text to incorporate new knowledge, recent developments and legislative changes. Much of this has meant numerous small changes and additions spread throughout the book, though perhaps we should point out (for the benefit Of reviewers) new sections on stress response, Mycobacterium SSP. And risk analysis, and updated discussions of predictive microbiology, the pathogenesis of some fodder illnesses, BASE/VICE and HACK. A number of colleagues have provided advice and information and among these we are particularly indebted to Mike Carter, Paul Cook, Chris Little,
Johnnie McFadden, Bob Mitchell, Yeastiness Moderated and Simon Park. It is customary for authors to absolve those acknowledged from all responsibility for any errors in the final book. We are happy to follow that convention in the unspoken belief that if any errors have crept through we can always blame each other. Preface to the Third Edition In this third edition we have taken the opportunity to update and clarify the text in a number of places, removing a few incipient cobwebs along the way. Mostly this has entailed small changes within the existing text though there are new sections dealing with intimacy, substring, emerging pathogens and Entertainer sukiyaki.