Microbiological Testing Standards for Food

Microbiology is the study of extremely small organisms, including bacteria and viruses. Commonly referred to as microbes, these microscopic creatures are found in almost every single environment on earth, even in conditions much too extreme for more advanced life. Though most of them are harmless, or even beneficial, to humans, some of them can cause harm if they gain access to the human body: These particular types of microbes are referred to as pathogens. Pathogens are carefully monitored in healthcare facilities, as well as in institutions responsible for food and drug production.

History

• Up until the turn of the 20th century, there were no government restrictions on the production of food in the U.S. Under pressure from citizens, as well as from international customers, President Theodore Roosevelt approved both the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act in 1906. In 1927, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was established (it was originally known as the Food, Drug and Insecticide Administration). Over the remainder of the century, various laws and amendments were passed to improve quality assurance and testing stringency so that food and drug products would be free of any substances or organisms that had not been proved safe for human consumption.

Food Poisoning

• When people consume food that has been exposed to pathogenic bacteria, food poisoning is the name given to any health complications that follow. Usually, food poisoning involves a collection of symptoms common also to the stomach flu. These may include any combination of the following: vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, cramps, chills and fatigue. This effect of ingesting contaminated food is caused by not only the presence of of pathogenic microbes, but also by the toxins they're capable of producing. In fact, at certain doses, the toxins can cause food poisoning whether or not the microbe responsible is still present. In severe cases of food poisoning, medical attention may be required, but generally, hydration and rest are all that are needed.

Food Content

• U.S. legislation has evolved to include in great detail what may or may not legally be found in food products manufactured by American companies. According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service Administrative Provisions, things not to be found in food include (but are not limited to) pathogens, pathogenic by-products, chemicals, additives, dyes, or animals that died of old age or disease. Failure to comply with these requirements results in recalls and may also yield civil court cases at the expense of the producers.

Testing Techniques

• The "Bad Bug Book," produced by the FDA, includes information on known pathogens, including their frequency, potency and testing procedures used for identifying them. FDA microbiologists, as well as companies that specialize in testing food, analyze goods manufactured by American producers to ensure cooperation with food safety laws. Because of the small size of bacteria, it's difficult to identify bacteria based on appearance alone. Therefore, more complex means are used to identify bacteria found in food to determine if they're pathogenic. Bacteria, just like large, multicellular organisms, require certain nutrients and environmental conditions to survive. By selecting growth conditions that are favorable to only certain types of bacteria, it's possible to isolate particular species. Furthermore, different assortments of dyes can be used, both in growth media and to stain cells, to further aid in identification of bacteria.

Prevention

• To ensure their products satisfy legal requirements, companies have developed a variety of methods for sanitizing their food goods. Pasteurization is a well-known method of significantly reducing the microbial content of products such as dairy, juice, wine, beer, vinegar and sauces. For produce and other solid items that can't be pasteurized, factories maintain sanitary work conditions to prevent exposure to hazardous chemicals and pathogens. Ultimately, food can be exposed to pathogenic bacteria or hazardous chemicals at any point during its trip from harvest to consumption, so it's important to maintain sanitary conditions when storing and preparing food at home as well.