One of the amazing aspects of life on earth is the ability for organisms to adapt to their surroundings, sometimes through mutations that change the way they handle external threats. Although this is scientifically fascinating, from a food safety perspective, when bacteria adapt to become resistant to the chemicals used to kill them, it presents a potential health risk because it makes the sanitizing products food processors use less effective.

Contamination is essentially the introduction of an unwanted element into an environment, whether through intentional or unintentional means, with potentially negative consequences. Contaminants can include a range of substances, such as bacteria, mold, poison, drugs, disease, and more. Depending on the context, the results can be devastating, including illness and death.

Ongoing research into bacteria and how it spreads has led to the identification of an enzyme that plays a critical role in its growth. A team at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) have been studying E. coli for the past decade in an effort to learn more about how cell walls develop during bacterial growth and division. This is important for food safety professionals because once the mechanism is better understood, it may be possible to develop technologies that inhibit it.

Cross-contamination in food processing facilities can happen in a number of ways, and not all of them are as visible as you might expect.

Bacterial resistance in the food industry is a challenge that all FSQA managers face. When microorganisms become resistant to the sanitizers that are used to remove them, the products become less effective over time.

When bacteria finds an environment where it likes to grow, it can be difficult to stop it from multiplying. This can lead to facility contamination that could cause a costly product recall or health risks for consumers.

First discovered in the 17th century by the inventor of the microscope, biofilms have been a challenge in the food processing industry since before they were even fully understood. Now that researchers better understand how biofilms form and thrive, new approaches are being developed to address them.

Biofilms in a food processing environment can cause significant problems and be potentially devastating for a brand. When found, deep cleaning and disinfection is required for biofilm removal, which can be challenging because they are resistant to many standard disinfecting approaches. Understanding what a biofilm is and how it can be prevented is critical for maintaining a sanitary food processing facility.

A microbial film, or biofilm, becomes established when layers of one or more types of microorganisms build up. Microorganisms that form biofilms include bacteria, fungi, and protists, and can grow on many different surfaces.