ABSTRACT
The objective of the food industry is to produce food that is wholesome, fresh and clean. In this chapter the authors discuss the various illnesses that can be transmitted by food, and some of the major microbial causes of food spoilage. Although food-borne illnesses can be caused by microorganisms or by chemicals. It is found widely in nature and in the intestinal tract of animals, birds and humans, and has been isolated from many raw and processed foods. It is found widely in faeces from animals and humans, and is most associated with such foods as meat, poultry and shellfish. Staphylococcal food poisoning is one of the major causes of foodborne illness, although it is only rarely fatal. Spoilage can be due to one or more of the following: growth and activity of microorganisms, insects, action of the food’s own enzymes, chemical reactions in the food and physical changes in the food, such as those caused by freezing or drying.
