History of Microorganisms in Food
7
1878—Cienkowski reported the first microbiological study of sugar slimes and isolated Leuconostoc
mesenteroides from them.
1887—Forster was the first to demonstrate the ability of pure cultures of bacteria to grow at 0
◦ C.
1888—Miquel was the first to study thermophilic bacteria.
1895—The first records on the determination of numbers of bacteria in milk were those of Von Geuns
in Amsterdam.
—S.C. Prescott and W. Underwood traced the spoilage of canned corn to improper heat processing
for the first time.
1902—The term psychrophile was first used by Schmidt-Nielsen for microorganisms that grow
at 0
◦ C.
1912—The term osmophile was coined by Richter to describe yeasts that grow well in an environment
of high osmotic pressure.
1915—Bacillus coagulans was first isolated from coagulated milk by B.W. Hammer.
1917—Geobacillus stearothermophilus was first isolated from cream-style corn by P.J. Donk.
1933—Oliver and Smith in England observed spoilage by Byssochlamys fulva; first described in the
United States in 1964 by D. Maunder.
Food Poisoning
1820—The German poet Justinus Kerner described “sausage poisoning” (which in all probability was
botulism) and its high fatality rate.
1857—Milk was incriminated as a transmitter of typhoid fever by W. Taylor of Penrith, England.
1870—Francesco Selmi advanced his theory of ptomaine poisoning to explain illness contracted by
eating certain foods.
1888—Gaertner first isolated Salmonella enteritidis from meat that had caused 57 cases of food
poisoning.
1894—T. Denys was the first to associate staphylococci with food poisoning.
1896—Van Ermengem first discovered Clostridium botulinum.
1904—Type A strain of C. botulinum was identified by G. Landman.
1906—Bacillus cereus food poisoning was recognized. The first case of diphyllobothriasis was
recognized.
1926—The first report of food poisoning by streptococci was made by Linden, Turner, and Thom.
1937—Type E strain of C. botulinum was identified by L. Bier and E. Hazen.
1937—Paralytic shellfish poisoning was recognized.
1938—Outbreaks of Campylobacter enteritis were traced to milk in Illinois.
1939—Gastroenteritis caused by Yersinia enterocolitica was first recognized by Schleifstein and
Coleman.
1945—McClung was the first to prove the etiologic status of Clostridium perfringens (welchii) in food
poisoning.
1951—Vibrio parahaemolyticus was shown to be an agent of food poisoning by T. Fujino of Japan.
1955—Similarities between cholera and Escherichia coli gastroenteritis in infants were noted by S.
Thompson.
—Scombroid (histamine-associated) poisoning was recognized.
—The first documented case of anisakiasis occurred in the United States.
1960—Type F strain of C. botulinum identified by Moller and Scheibel.
—The production of aflatoxins by Aspergillus flavus was first reported.
7
1878—Cienkowski reported the first microbiological study of sugar slimes and isolated Leuconostoc
mesenteroides from them.
1887—Forster was the first to demonstrate the ability of pure cultures of bacteria to grow at 0
◦ C.
1888—Miquel was the first to study thermophilic bacteria.
1895—The first records on the determination of numbers of bacteria in milk were those of Von Geuns
in Amsterdam.
—S.C. Prescott and W. Underwood traced the spoilage of canned corn to improper heat processing
for the first time.
1902—The term psychrophile was first used by Schmidt-Nielsen for microorganisms that grow
at 0
◦ C.
1912—The term osmophile was coined by Richter to describe yeasts that grow well in an environment
of high osmotic pressure.
1915—Bacillus coagulans was first isolated from coagulated milk by B.W. Hammer.
1917—Geobacillus stearothermophilus was first isolated from cream-style corn by P.J. Donk.
1933—Oliver and Smith in England observed spoilage by Byssochlamys fulva; first described in the
United States in 1964 by D. Maunder.
Food Poisoning
1820—The German poet Justinus Kerner described “sausage poisoning” (which in all probability was
botulism) and its high fatality rate.
1857—Milk was incriminated as a transmitter of typhoid fever by W. Taylor of Penrith, England.
1870—Francesco Selmi advanced his theory of ptomaine poisoning to explain illness contracted by
eating certain foods.
1888—Gaertner first isolated Salmonella enteritidis from meat that had caused 57 cases of food
poisoning.
1894—T. Denys was the first to associate staphylococci with food poisoning.
1896—Van Ermengem first discovered Clostridium botulinum.
1904—Type A strain of C. botulinum was identified by G. Landman.
1906—Bacillus cereus food poisoning was recognized. The first case of diphyllobothriasis was
recognized.
1926—The first report of food poisoning by streptococci was made by Linden, Turner, and Thom.
1937—Type E strain of C. botulinum was identified by L. Bier and E. Hazen.
1937—Paralytic shellfish poisoning was recognized.
1938—Outbreaks of Campylobacter enteritis were traced to milk in Illinois.
1939—Gastroenteritis caused by Yersinia enterocolitica was first recognized by Schleifstein and
Coleman.
1945—McClung was the first to prove the etiologic status of Clostridium perfringens (welchii) in food
poisoning.
1951—Vibrio parahaemolyticus was shown to be an agent of food poisoning by T. Fujino of Japan.
1955—Similarities between cholera and Escherichia coli gastroenteritis in infants were noted by S.
Thompson.
—Scombroid (histamine-associated) poisoning was recognized.
—The first documented case of anisakiasis occurred in the United States.
1960—Type F strain of C. botulinum identified by Moller and Scheibel.
—The production of aflatoxins by Aspergillus flavus was first reported.