MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF FOODS

(SBT 435)
PRE LAB: LABORATORY INDICES OF FOOD SPOILAGE

R. E. ARHIN
LECTURER
DEPT OF SCIENCE LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY
ACCRA TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
2023/2024
 OBJECTIVES

• To identify the various indices of food spoilage.

• To explain the principles guiding the microbiological analysis

of foods.

• To apply the principles in the microbiological analysis of

food samples.

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 INTRODUCTION

• Food spoilage refers to any undesirable changes in food

which makes it unwholesome for human consumption.

• Spoilage may or may not produce changes in the aesthetic or

organoleptic properties of the food.

• Food spoilage may cause economic losses and or ailments.

• The cause may be microbial or non-microbial.

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 MICROBIAL FOOD SPOILAGE

• Microbial food spoilage may have public health implications.

• Some pathogenic food-borne bacteria.

Category Examples
Gram-negative bacilli Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis,
Shigella sp., Yersinia enterocolitca

Gram-negative coccobacilli Campylobacter jejuni, Vibrio cholerae,

Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
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 Microbial Food Spoilage

Categories Examples
Spore-forming Gram- Bacillus cereus, Clostridium botulinum,
positive bacilli Clostridium perfringens

Non-spore-forming Gram- Listeria monocytogenes

positive bacilli

Gram-positive cocci Staphylococcus aureus

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 MICROBIOLOGICA ANALYSIS OF FOODS

• Microbiological analysis may be performed on

-Ready-to-eat (RTE) foods e.g. food from canteen
-Preserved foods e.g. canned fish
-Unprocessed foods e.g. molds on grains

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 Microbiological Analysis of Foods

• This is performed to
-Prevent food-borne outbreaks
-Identify the course of an outbreak
-Predict product shelf life
-Assess food processing methods
-Find beneficial strains for food processing

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 INDICES OF FOOD SPOILAGE

• Indices of food spoilage are qualitative attributes or

quantitative measurements used to ascertain the
wholesomeness of food.

• The microbiological indices of food spoilage are

-Types of microorganisms present (growth)
-Number of microorganisms present (counts)
-Microbial products present (metabolites)
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 Types of Microorganisms Present

• For some pathogens or their toxins, their presence is

enough to make food unwholesome.

• These indicator microorganisms should be absent in ready-

to-eat (RTE) foods
-Salmonella typhi
-Campylobacter jejuni
-Listeria monocytogenes*

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 Number of Microorganisms Present

• Some require a certain threshold in RTE foods e.g.

Indicator Microorganism
Enterobacteriales
Escherichia coli
Coagulase-positive staphylococci
Clostridium perfringens
Bacillus cereus
Vibrio parahaemolyticus
Threshold
Unacceptable >104 cfu/g
Satisfactory <3 cfu/g for MPN
Unacceptable >100 cfu/g
Test for enterotoxin >103 cfu/g
Potentially harzardous ≥104 cfu/g
Potentially harzardous ≥104 cfu/g
Potentially harzardous ≥104 cfu/g
Unsatisfactory: 103-104 cfu/g
Potentially harzardous ≥104 cfu/g

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 Microbial Products Present

• Normally for diagnostic and not preventive purposes.

• The test involved detect specific genera or species of food-

borne pathogens (or their metabolites) e.g.
-Oligonucleotide DNA probes & PCR: Detect genes
-ELISA & Immunoprecipitation: Detect antigens

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 DETERMINATION OF FOOD SPOILAGE

• There are different methods available for determining food

spoilage. These include
-Sensory quality
-Microbiological quality
-Direct metabolite determination
-Electronic nose equipment

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 Sensory Quality

• Based on aesthetic and organoleptic quality indicators.

• Changes in organoleptic properties are detectable when

thresholds exceed the following
a) Bacterial growth > 107cfu/g
b) Yeast growth > 104 cfu/g
c) Mold growth: Visible mycelium colonies

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 Sensory Quality

• Aesthetic properties: Visible surface biomass.

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 Microbiological Quality

• Estimates of the numbers or types of microorganisms

present in a food or a food product e.g.
-Total viable count (TVC)/ Aerobic colony count
-Specific microbial count
-Direct microscopic count
-Yeasts and molds count
-ATP bioluminescence assay

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 Microbiological Quality

Standard Plate Count Direct Microscopic Count

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 Microbiological Quality

Compact Dry Most Probable Number Dye Reduction

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 Direct Metabolite Determination

• These methods may employ biochemical testing or the use

of mass spectrometry.

• Microbial product indication e.g. H2S, NH3, volatile

substances, CO2, diacetyl, acetoin, indole, heat-stable
proteinases.

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 Electronic Nose Equipment

• Identifies specific components of an odor and analyzes its

chemical make-up for identification.

• Comprised of
- A chemical sensing system
-An automated pattern recognition system

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Electronic Nose Equipment

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Electronic Nose Equipment

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Follow the link for video resources
• Food spoilage: Microbiological Factors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpF1jnsP6xE

• Shelf-life Part 1: Microbial Food Spoilage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV0WnNk_Y8M

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