History and Development of Food Microbiology ◾ 5
Helmholtz (1843) proposed that putrefaction and fermentation were connected with the presence
of the organisms derived from air. Finally, Pasteur, in 1875, showed that wine fermentation from
grapes and the souring of wine was caused by microorganisms. He also proved that spoilage of
meat and milk was associated with the growth of microorganisms. Later, he showed the association of microorganisms with several diseases in humans, cattle, and sheep, and he also developed
vaccines against a few human and animal diseases caused by microorganisms, including rabies.
Robert Koch, in Germany (in the 1880s and 1890s), isolated pure cultures of bacteria responsible
for anthrax, cholera, and tuberculosis. He also developed the famous Koch’s postulates to associate
a specific bacterium as a causative agent for a specific disease. Along with his associates, he also
developed techniques of agar plating methods to isolate bacteria in pure cultures and to determine
microbial numbers in a sample, the Petri dish (by Petri in his laboratory), staining methods for
better microscopic observation of bacteria, and the use of steam to sterilize materials to grow
bacteria. 1,5
With time, the importance of microorganisms in human and animal diseases, soil fertility,
plant diseases, fermentation, food spoilage and foodborne diseases, and other areas was recognized, and microbiology was developed as a specific discipline. Later, it was divided into several
subdisciplines, such as medical microbiology, industrial microbiology, soil microbiology, plant
pathology, and food microbiology.
Development of early Food Microbiology (Before A.D. 1900)
It is logical to comprehend that our early Homo ancestors, the hunters and gatherers, were aware
of food spoilage and foodborne diseases. Even without any perception of the causative agents,
they used ice and fire to preserve foods and make them safe. Around 8000 b.c., as agriculture
and animal husbandry were adopted by the early civilizations, a food supply, especially agricultural produce, became available in abundance during the growing seasons. Preservation of
foods became important for a uniform supply of food throughout the year. Between 8000 and
1000 b.c., many food preservation methods, such as drying, cooking, baking, smoking, salting,
sugaring (with honey), low-temperature storage (in ice), storage without air (in pits), fermentation (with fruits, grains, and milk), pickling, and spicing were used, probably mainly to reduce
spoilage. However, one cannot be sure whether society at that time recognized the implications
of diseases transmitted through food. In later periods, however, the scriptural injunctions laid
by many religions suggest that the societies recognized an association of diseases with some
foods. Some of the regulations, such as not eating meat from a diseased animal or an animal
killed by a scavenger or not eating a food that appeared unnatural or had been handled by an
unclean person, were developed to safeguard the health of citizens against foodborne diseases.
Fermentation was used extensively by many societies not only to preserve foods, but also as a
method to produce various types of desirable foods from milk, meat, fish, eggs, grains, fruits,
and vegetables.
Following the discovery of the ubiquitous existence of microorganisms (mainly bacteria and
yeasts) by Leeuwenhoek around the 1670s, some individuals started associating the possible role
of these organisms with food spoilage, food fermentation, and foodborne diseases. The major
developments of ideas on the possible roles of microorganisms in foods and their scientific proof
were initiated by Pasteur in the 1870s, followed by many other scientists before the end of the 19th
century. This paved the way for the establishment of early food microbiology in the 20th century.
Some of the major developments in the 19th century are briefly listed here. 1,6,7
Helmholtz (1843) proposed that putrefaction and fermentation were connected with the presence
of the organisms derived from air. Finally, Pasteur, in 1875, showed that wine fermentation from
grapes and the souring of wine was caused by microorganisms. He also proved that spoilage of
meat and milk was associated with the growth of microorganisms. Later, he showed the association of microorganisms with several diseases in humans, cattle, and sheep, and he also developed
vaccines against a few human and animal diseases caused by microorganisms, including rabies.
Robert Koch, in Germany (in the 1880s and 1890s), isolated pure cultures of bacteria responsible
for anthrax, cholera, and tuberculosis. He also developed the famous Koch’s postulates to associate
a specific bacterium as a causative agent for a specific disease. Along with his associates, he also
developed techniques of agar plating methods to isolate bacteria in pure cultures and to determine
microbial numbers in a sample, the Petri dish (by Petri in his laboratory), staining methods for
better microscopic observation of bacteria, and the use of steam to sterilize materials to grow
bacteria. 1,5
With time, the importance of microorganisms in human and animal diseases, soil fertility,
plant diseases, fermentation, food spoilage and foodborne diseases, and other areas was recognized, and microbiology was developed as a specific discipline. Later, it was divided into several
subdisciplines, such as medical microbiology, industrial microbiology, soil microbiology, plant
pathology, and food microbiology.
Development of early Food Microbiology (Before A.D. 1900)
It is logical to comprehend that our early Homo ancestors, the hunters and gatherers, were aware
of food spoilage and foodborne diseases. Even without any perception of the causative agents,
they used ice and fire to preserve foods and make them safe. Around 8000 b.c., as agriculture
and animal husbandry were adopted by the early civilizations, a food supply, especially agricultural produce, became available in abundance during the growing seasons. Preservation of
foods became important for a uniform supply of food throughout the year. Between 8000 and
1000 b.c., many food preservation methods, such as drying, cooking, baking, smoking, salting,
sugaring (with honey), low-temperature storage (in ice), storage without air (in pits), fermentation (with fruits, grains, and milk), pickling, and spicing were used, probably mainly to reduce
spoilage. However, one cannot be sure whether society at that time recognized the implications
of diseases transmitted through food. In later periods, however, the scriptural injunctions laid
by many religions suggest that the societies recognized an association of diseases with some
foods. Some of the regulations, such as not eating meat from a diseased animal or an animal
killed by a scavenger or not eating a food that appeared unnatural or had been handled by an
unclean person, were developed to safeguard the health of citizens against foodborne diseases.
Fermentation was used extensively by many societies not only to preserve foods, but also as a
method to produce various types of desirable foods from milk, meat, fish, eggs, grains, fruits,
and vegetables.
Following the discovery of the ubiquitous existence of microorganisms (mainly bacteria and
yeasts) by Leeuwenhoek around the 1670s, some individuals started associating the possible role
of these organisms with food spoilage, food fermentation, and foodborne diseases. The major
developments of ideas on the possible roles of microorganisms in foods and their scientific proof
were initiated by Pasteur in the 1870s, followed by many other scientists before the end of the 19th
century. This paved the way for the establishment of early food microbiology in the 20th century.
Some of the major developments in the 19th century are briefly listed here. 1,6,7