ABSTRACT
Assessments of the impact of environmental factors on the response of food-borne microorganisms are the primary sources of data for the development of predictive models. When investigating the influence of more than one factor and accurately describing how those factors interact, it is important to consider how to design the experiment. Unfortunately, in modeling bacterial growth in foods, the design is commonly not accounted for, or it is chosen based on habit rather than the experiment’s specific purpose. But carefully considering the experiment’s design is vital to extracting the desired information (e.g., interactions) and to avoiding excessive experimental work. Furthermore, researchers should be aware of the experimental design in order to avoid extrapolation.
