History and Development of Food Microbiology ◾ 7
Yer. enterocolitica and Yer. pseudotuberculosis are two members of the genus Yersinia,
which are known foodborne pathogens.
1895 Marie von Ermengem isolated Bacillus botulinus (Clostridium botulinum) from contaminated meat and proved that it caused botulism.
1981 Stanley Prusiner characterized prion, a causative agent for bovine spongiform encephalopathy or “Mad Cow Disease.”
Microbiology techniques
1854 Heinrich Schröder and Theodore von Dusch used cotton to close tubes and flasks to
prevent microbial contamination in heated culture broths.
1876 Car Weigert used methylene blue (a synthetic dye) to stain bacteria in aqueous suspensions.
1877 Ferdinand Cohn showed the heat resistance of Bacillus subtilis endospores.
1878 Joseph Lister isolated Streptococcus (now Lactococcus) lactis in pure culture by serial
dilution from sour milk.
1880s Robert Koch and his associates introduced many important methods that are used
in all branches of microbiology, such as solid media (first gelatin, then agar) to purify
and enumerate bacteria, the Petri dish, flagellar staining, steam sterilization of media
above 100°C, and photography of cells and spores.
1884 Hans Christian Gram developed Gram staining of bacterial cells.
Food Microbiology: Current Status
In the early 20th century, studies continued to understand the association and importance of
microorganisms, especially pathogenic bacteria in food. Specific methods were developed for their
isolation and identification. The importance of sanitation in the handling of food to reduce contamination by microorganisms was recognized. Specific methods were studied to prevent growth
as well as to destroy the spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. There was also some interest in isolating
beneficial bacteria associated with food fermentation, especially dairy fermentation, and studying
their characteristics. However, after the 1950s, food microbiology entered a new era. Availability
of basic information on the physiological, biochemical, and biological characteristics of diverse
types of food; microbial interactions in food environments; and microbial physiology, biochemistry, genetics, and immunology has helped open new frontiers in food microbiology. 1,6–10 Now,
understanding the microbial community and microbial interaction in a complex food environment through microbiome analysis, whole genome sequencing, and development of novel and
natural intervention technologies are at the forefront of food microbiology.
Food Fermentation/Probiotics
◾ Development of strains with desirable metabolic activities by genetic transfer among strains
◾ Development of bacteriophage-resistant lactic acid bacteria
◾ Metabolic engineering of strains for overproduction of desirable metabolites
◾ Development of methods to use lactic acid bacteria to deliver biologically relevant proteins
or vaccines
◾ Sequencing genomes of important lactic acid bacteria and bacteriophages for better understanding of their characteristics
◾ Food biopreservation with desirable bacteria and their antimicrobial metabolites
Yer. enterocolitica and Yer. pseudotuberculosis are two members of the genus Yersinia,
which are known foodborne pathogens.
1895 Marie von Ermengem isolated Bacillus botulinus (Clostridium botulinum) from contaminated meat and proved that it caused botulism.
1981 Stanley Prusiner characterized prion, a causative agent for bovine spongiform encephalopathy or “Mad Cow Disease.”
Microbiology techniques
1854 Heinrich Schröder and Theodore von Dusch used cotton to close tubes and flasks to
prevent microbial contamination in heated culture broths.
1876 Car Weigert used methylene blue (a synthetic dye) to stain bacteria in aqueous suspensions.
1877 Ferdinand Cohn showed the heat resistance of Bacillus subtilis endospores.
1878 Joseph Lister isolated Streptococcus (now Lactococcus) lactis in pure culture by serial
dilution from sour milk.
1880s Robert Koch and his associates introduced many important methods that are used
in all branches of microbiology, such as solid media (first gelatin, then agar) to purify
and enumerate bacteria, the Petri dish, flagellar staining, steam sterilization of media
above 100°C, and photography of cells and spores.
1884 Hans Christian Gram developed Gram staining of bacterial cells.
Food Microbiology: Current Status
In the early 20th century, studies continued to understand the association and importance of
microorganisms, especially pathogenic bacteria in food. Specific methods were developed for their
isolation and identification. The importance of sanitation in the handling of food to reduce contamination by microorganisms was recognized. Specific methods were studied to prevent growth
as well as to destroy the spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. There was also some interest in isolating
beneficial bacteria associated with food fermentation, especially dairy fermentation, and studying
their characteristics. However, after the 1950s, food microbiology entered a new era. Availability
of basic information on the physiological, biochemical, and biological characteristics of diverse
types of food; microbial interactions in food environments; and microbial physiology, biochemistry, genetics, and immunology has helped open new frontiers in food microbiology. 1,6–10 Now,
understanding the microbial community and microbial interaction in a complex food environment through microbiome analysis, whole genome sequencing, and development of novel and
natural intervention technologies are at the forefront of food microbiology.
Food Fermentation/Probiotics
◾ Development of strains with desirable metabolic activities by genetic transfer among strains
◾ Development of bacteriophage-resistant lactic acid bacteria
◾ Metabolic engineering of strains for overproduction of desirable metabolites
◾ Development of methods to use lactic acid bacteria to deliver biologically relevant proteins
or vaccines
◾ Sequencing genomes of important lactic acid bacteria and bacteriophages for better understanding of their characteristics
◾ Food biopreservation with desirable bacteria and their antimicrobial metabolites