ABSTRACT
Food products serve not only as sources of nutrition for humans and other animals but also as substrates for the growth of microorganisms. The uncontrolled growth of microorganisms in food causes spoilage, a serious problem accounting for sizable losses of food products. Some disease-causing microorganisms also contaminate foods and potable waters. Foodborne and waterborne pathogens remain a major source for the spread of disease worldwide. A major concern in food microbiology is the preservation of food products and the prevention of foodborne and waterborne spread of disease. Careful quality control in the food industry is essential for preventing outbreaks of foodborne disease and for controlling food spoilage. Many foods are routinely examined for the presence of disease-causing and food spoilage microorganisms. Many of these quality control procedures involve the cultivation of microorganisms using a variety of media.
