ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the advanced microbiological knowledge pertaining to the preservation aspects of food. Advances in food preservation methods have supported the journey of food science from that of a cookery science to a fast growing industrial technology. Correlation of food spoilage characteristics with the functional properties of spoiler organisms is a difficult task. Application of heat treatment to destroy pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms is one of the most successful food preservation method used since centuries, and is widely used even today. Based on the extent of heat treatment, the processes are classified into major groups Process design suitable for thermal inactivation of microorganisms in foods is achieved through insights gained so far on the inactivation pattern through heating. Preservation of foods using fermentation by various microorganisms resulted in the vast expansion of dairy science, enology, brewing and lactic fermentation science.
