Mechanistic and mathematical inactivation studies of food spoilage fungi

Fungal spoilage forms an increasing economic problem in the food industry. Chemical antifungals are becoming less attractive as food preservatives and hygiene agents due to the development of resistance and due to stricter le gal regulations concerning the permitted concentrations. Finally, consumers tend to demand more "naturally preserved" or preservative-free products. H ere we review our understanding of the mechanisms of action and resistance to classical antifungals. Next, we evaluate the scientific basis underlying the application of novel, natural antifungals. Finally, we discuss the mat hematical modelling of fungal growth and the development of preliminary pre dictive lag-time models. The eventual aim of the reviewed work is to genera te mathematical lag-time models in real foods that predict the microbiologi cal stability of the food and are based on a mechanistic understanding of t he chain of events that leads to cell death, or an extension of lag-time of the initiation of outgrowth. (C) 1999 Academic Press.