MICROBIAL HAZARDS IN FOOD

Next to bacteria microbial hazards in food comprise mycotoxin-producin g moulds, protozoae, viruses and prions. Epidemiological aspects are m entioned which are essential for the pathogenesis of foodborne disease s caused by these agents. Compared with chemical and physical hazards the occurrence or emergence of microbiological hazards depends on a va riety of factors and influences during food production and processing that well structured hygiene and food safety management concepts respe ctively are essential. In particular this paper refers to the minimal infective dose for man, the factors influencing growth of bacteria in food and to predictive microbiology. The application of the hazard ana lysis critical control point (HACCP) concept for microbial hazards is mentioned with particular emphasis on the importance of monitoring. Du e to the particular significance of the faeco-oral transmission route for many bacterial foodborne diseases basic hygiene measures assume a decisive importance in food safety management. The HACCP system is bas ed upon such measures and should only be viewed as part of an efficien t total hygiene concept in food companies. The example of drinking mil k pasteurization illustrates that the introduction of the HACCP system does not constitute a fundamentally new development and that it shoul d rather be viewed as a renaissance of old principles of natural scien ce and hygiene. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.