Abstract
The food environment can support or reduce the ability of microorganisms to persist, establish and grow. Each one presents as a natural characteristic of a food ingredient or adjusted through manufactured processes. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors play very important roles to maintain a microbiologically safe food system. Intrinsic factors include those that are internal to the food product itself, such as nutrient content, pH levels, water activity, redox potential, and other antimicrobial components acting as defense mechanisms against microbes. Extrinsic factors are imposed from the environment in which the food product is present, such as temperature, relative humidity, gaseous environments, or presence of competitor microorganisms. Minor fluctuations in these factors, either individual or multiple, can alter the stability of a food product and make them susceptible to the growth of spoilage or pathogenic microorganisms. As not all microorganisms are equal, a combination of various factors are utilized to influence the separate behaviors of bacteria, yeasts, and molds. A thorough understanding of how the intrinsic and extrinsic factors are used in a multicomponent approach is essential for ensuring food safety and quality. The characteristics and effects of these factors on microbial survival and growth will be discussed within this chapter.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alvarez-Ordóñez A, Fernández A, Bernardo A et al (2010) Acid tolerance in Salmonella Typhimurium induced by culturing in the presence of organic acids at different growth temperatures. Food Microbiol 27(1):44–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2009.07.015
Barbosa-Cánovas GV, Juliano P (2007) Desorption phenomena in food dehydration processes. In: Barbosa-Cánovas GV, Fontana AJ, Schmidt SJ, Labuza TP (ed) Water activity in foods: fundamentals and applications. Blackwell Publishing and the Institute of Food Technologists, Ames, p 313–340
Baron F, Gautier M, Brule G (1997) Factors involved in the inhibition of growth of Salmonella enteritidis in liquid egg white. J Food Prot 60(11):1318–1323. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x-60.11.1318
Berk Z (2013) Physical properties of food materials. In: Food process engineering and technology, 2nd edn. Academic Press, London
Beuchat LR (1981) Microbial stability as affected by water activity. Cereal Foods World 26(7):345–349
Beuchat LR (1983) Influence of water activity on growth, metabolic activities and survival of yeasts and molds. J Food Prot 46(2):135–141. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x-46.2.135
Beuchat LR, Komitopoulou E, Beckers H et al (2013) Low-water activity foods: increased concern as vehicles of foodborne pathogens. J Food Prot 76(1):150–172. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-12-211
Breeuwer P, Lardeau A, Peterz M, Joosten HM (2003) Desiccation and heat tolerance of Enterobacter sakazakii. J Appl Microbiol 95:967–973. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2672.2003.02067.x
Browne N, Dowds BCA (2002) Acid stress in the food pathogen Bacillus cereus. J Appl Microbiol 92(3):404–414. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2672.2002.01541.x
Burgess CM, Gianotti A, Gruzdev N et al (2016) The response of foodborne pathogens to osmotic and desiccation stresses in the food chain. Int J Food Microbiol 221:37–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2015.12.014
Cauvain SP, Seiler DAL (1992) Equilibrium relative humidity and the shelf life of cakes. FMBRA report no. 150, CCFRA, Chipping Campden, UK
Cheville AM, Arnold KW, Buchrieser C et al (1996) rpoS regulation of acid, heat, and salt tolerance in Escherichia coli O157:H7. Appl Environ Microbiol 62(5):1822–1824
Clare DA, Catignani GL, Swaisgood HE (2003) Biodefense properties of milk: the role of antimicrobial proteins and peptides. Curr Pharm Des 9(16):1239–1255. https://doi.org/10.2174/1381612033454874
Daniels JA, Krishnamurthi R, Rizvi SSH (1985) A review of effects of carbon dioxide on microbial growth and food quality. J Food Prot 48(6):532–537. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x-48.6.532
Devlieghere F, Debevere J, Van Impe J (1998) Concentration of carbon dioxide in the water-phase as a parameter to model the effect of a modified atmosphere on microorganisms. Int J Food Microbiol 43(1–2):105–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0168-1605(98)00101-9
Devlieghere F, Geeraerd AH, Versyck KJ et al (2001) Growth of Listeria monocytogenes in modified atmosphere packed cooked meat products: a predictive model. Food Microbiol 18(1):53–66. https://doi.org/10.1006/fmic.2000.0378
Esbelin J, Santos T, Hebraud M (2018) Desiccation: an environmental and food industry stress that bacteria commonly face. Food Microbiol 69:82–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2017.07.017
Finn S, Condell O, McClure P et al (2013) Mechanisms of survival, responses, and sources of Salmonella in low-moisture environments. Front Microbiol 4:15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00331
Foster JW, Hall HK (1990) Adaptive acidification tolerance response of Salmonella Typhimurium. J Bacteriol 172(2):771–778. https://doi.org/10.1128/jb.172.2.771-778.1990
Genigeorgis CA (1981) Factors affecting the probability of growth of pathogenic microorganisms in foods. J Am Vet Med Assoc 179(12):1410–1417
Gill A, McMahon T, Dussault F, Petronella N (2020) Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli survives storage in wheat flour for two years. Food Microbiol 87:103380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2019.103380
Goepfert JM, Iskander IK, Amundson CH (1970) Relation of the heat resistance of Salmonellae to the water activity of the environment. Appl Microbiol 19(3):429–433
Gould G (2000) Preservation: past, present and future. Br Med Bull 56(1):84–96
Gounot AM (1986) Psychrophilic and psychrotrophic microorganisms. Experientia 42(11–12):1192–1197. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01946390
Gruzdev N, Pinto R, Sela S (2012) Persistence of Salmonella enterica during dehydration and subsequent cold storage. Food Microbiol 32(2):415–422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2012.08.003
Gupte AR, de Rezende CLE, Joseph SW (2003) Induction and resuscitation of viable but nonculturable Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium DT104. Appl Environ Microbiol 69(11):6669–6675. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.69.11.6669-6675.2003
Hense BA, Kuttler C, Muller J et al (2007) Does efficiency sensing unify diffusion and quorum sensing? Nat Rev Microbiol 5(3):230–239. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro1600
Hibbing ME, Fuqua C, Parsek M et al (2010) Bacterial competition: surviving and thriving in the microbial jungle. Nat Rev Microbiol 8(1):15–25. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro2259
Jay JM, Loessner MJ, Golden DA (2005) Modern food microbiology, 7th edn. Spring Science, New York
Kempf B, Bremer E (1998) Uptake and synthesis of compatible solutes as microbial stress responses to high-osmolality environments. Arch Microbiol 170:319–330
Kornacki J (2010) What factors are required for microbes to grow, survive, and die? In: Principles of microbiological troubleshooting in the industrial food processing environment. Spring Science, New York, p 103–115
Kozak JJ, Knight WS, Kauzmann W (1968) Solute-solute interactions in aqueous solutions. J Chem Phys 48:675–690
Labuza TP, Altunakar B (2007) Water activity prediction and moisture sorption isotherms. In: Barbosa-Cánovas GV, Fontana AJ, Schmidt SJ, Labuza TP (ed) Water activity in foods: fundamentals and applications. Blackwell Publishing and the Institute of Food Technologists, Ames, p 109–154
Levine AS, Fellers CR (1940) Action of acetic acid on food spoilage microoganisms. J Bacteriol 39(5):499–515
Li HP, Fu XW, Bima Y et al (2014) Effect of the local microenvironment on survival and thermal inactivation of Salmonella in low- and intermediate-moisture multi-ingredient foods. J Food Prot 77(1):67–74. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-13-277
Meredith H, Valdramidis V, Rotabakk BT et al (2014) Effect of different modified atmospheric packaging (MAP) gaseous combinations on Campylobacter and the shelf-life of chilled poultry fillets. Food Microbiol 44:196–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2014.06.005
Mendonca AF, Amoroso TL, Knabel SJ (1994) Destruction of Gram-negative food-borne pathogens by high pH involves disruption of the cytoplasmic membrane. Appl Environ Microbiol 60(11):4009–4014
Miller FA, Ramos B, Gil M et al (2009) Influence of pH, type of acid and recovery media on the thermal inactivation of Listeria innocua. Int J Food Microbiol 133(1–2):121–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2009.05.007
Miyawaki O, Saito A, Matsuo T et al (1997) Activity and activity coefficient of water in aqueous solutions and their relationship with solution structure parameters. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 61:466–469
Mocon Europe A/S - Dansensor (2012) Modified atmosphere packaging. https://www.modifiedatmospherepackaging.com
Montville TJ, Matthews KR (2007) Growth, survival, and death of microbes in foods. In: Doyle MP (ed) Food microbiology: fundamentals and frontiers, 3rd edn. ASM Press, Washington, DC
Montville TJ, Matthews KR, Kniel KE (2012) Control of microorganisms in food. In: Food microbiology: an introduction, 3rd edn. ASM Press, Washington, DC
Murrell WG, Scott WJ (1966) The heat resistance of bacterial spores at various water activities. J Gen Microbiol 43:411–425
Nicholson AJ (1954) An outline of the dynamics of animal populations. Aust J Zool 2(1):9–65. https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO9540009
Perez J, Moraleda-Munoz A, Marcos-Torres FJ et al (2016) Bacterial predation: 75 years and counting! Environ Microbiol 18(3):766–779. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.13171
Ray B, Bhunia A (2008) Fundamental food microbiology, 4th edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton
Reid DS, Fennema OR (2007) Water and ice. In: Damodaran S (ed) Fennema’s food chemistry, 4th edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton
Salaün F, Mietton B, Gaucheron F (2005) Buffering capacity of dairy products. Int Dairy J 15(2):95–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idairyj.2004.06.007
Sebranek JG (2004) Semidry fermented sausages. In: Hui YH et al (eds) Handbook of food and beverage fermentation technology. Taylor & Francis, New York
Siroli L, Braschi G, de Jong A et al (2018) Transcriptomic approach and membrane fatty acid analysis to study the response mechanisms of Escherichia coli to thyme essential oil, carvacrol, 2-(E)-hexanal and citral exposure. J Appl Microbiol 125(5):1308–1320. https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.14048
Smith DF, Marks BP (2015) Effect of rapid product desiccation or hydration on thermal resistance of Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis PT 30 in wheat flour. J Food Prot 78(2):281–286. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-14-403
Sperber WH (1983) Influence of water activity on foodborne bacteria: a review. J Food Prot 46(2):142–150. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x-46.2.142
Tapia MS, Alzamora SM, Chirife J (2007) Effects of water activity (aw) on microbial stability: as a hurdle in food preservation. In: Barbosa-Cánovas GV, Fontana AJ, Schmidt SJ, Labuza TP (ed) Water activity in foods: fundamentals and applications. Blackwell Publishing and the Institute of Food Technologists, Ames, p 239–272
Tournas V, Stack ME, Mislivec PB et al (2001) BAM chapter 18: yeasts, molds, and mycotoxins. Bacteriological analytical manual. Food and Drug Administration
Vieille C, Zeikus GJ (2001) Hyperthermophilic enzymes: sources, uses, and molecular mechanisms for thermostability. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 65(1):1–43
Villa-Rojas R, Tang J, Wang SJ et al (2013) Thermal inactivation of Salmonella Enteritidis PT 30 in almond kernels as influenced by water activity. J Food Prot 76(1):26–32. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-11-509
Wareing P, Stuart F, Fernandes R (2010a) Factors affecting the growth of micro-organisms in foods. In: Micro-facts: the working companion for food microbiologists. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge
Wareing P, Stuart F, Fernandes R (2010b) Foodborne bacterial pathogens. In: Micro-facts: the working companion for food microbiologists. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge
Wareing P, Stuart F, Fernandes R (2010c) Food-spoilage bacteria. In: Micro-facts: the working companion for food microbiologists. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge
Wareing P, Stuart F, Fernandes R (2010d) Food-spoilage fungi. In: Micro-facts: the working companion for food microbiologists. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge
Wu VCH (2008) A review of microbial injury and recovery methods in food. Food Microbiol 25(6):735–744. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2008.04.011
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Rolfe, C., Daryaei, H. (2020). Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors Affecting Microbial Growth in Food Systems. In: Demirci, A., Feng, H., Krishnamurthy, K. (eds) Food Safety Engineering. Food Engineering Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42660-6_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42660-6_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-42659-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-42660-6
eBook Packages: Chemistry and Materials ScienceChemistry and Material Science (R0)