ABSTRACT
Foodborne illnesses have become a major public health issue in the past 30 years. Many agricultural and processed foods have been linked either directly or indirectly to contamination from microbiological sources. Recently, foods such as spinach, packaged lettuce, tomatoes, ground beef, cheese, and peanut butter have all been linked to major micro-based recalls. Each of these might have flown under the radar 20 years ago but due to today’s instant communications through various media channels, news organizations, and the internet, the public has almost an instantaneous pulse on problems that occur within the food supply, whether domestic or imported. To ensure that food companies do not become today’s news, it is important to understand the microbiological implications of the products they produce and the methods to control them.
