MICRO-

ORGANISMS IN
FOOD
UNIT - 2
Characteristics of micro organisms
■ A microorganism is an organism so small that it can only be viewed
with the aid of a microscope. The use of the microscope and other
laboratory techniques in the study of microorganisms has evolved
as a branch of science called microbiology.
■ Microorganisms include:
■ Fungi
■ Bacteria
■ Protozoa
■ Viruses
■ Algae.

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BACTERIA
■ Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms with prokaryotic cells,
which are single cells that do not have organelles or a true nucleus
and are less complex than eukaryotic cells.
■ Bacteria come in a variety of shapes. The three main shapes of
bacteria are coccus, spiral, and bacillus.
■ Cocci are bacteria that are spherical or ovoid in shape.
■ Spiral bacteria are, as the name suggests, spiral-shaped. Spirillums
are thick, tough spirals.
■ Bacilli are rod-shaped bacteria. Bacilli can be solitary or arranged
together.
■ Bacteria can also be other shapes such as filamentous (long and
thin), square, star-shaped, and stalked.
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BACTERIA
■ Bacterial spores are seed like and they are more resistant
to most processing conditions than yeast or mould spores.
■ Bacteria with few exceptions, cannot grew in media as
acid as those in which yeast and mold thrive.
■ Under favorable conditions bacteria can double their
number every 30 min.
■ Some bacteria cannot tolerate oxygen (anaerobes) and
some require oxygen for growth (aerobes).
■ Some can grow in an atmosphere devoid of oxygen but
manage also in air (facultative anaerobes).

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FUNGI
YEAST
■ Yeast are unicellular plants(fungi) widely distributed in nature
and they grow well in slightly acidic medium in the presence of
sugar and water. They are found in fruits, cereals and other food
containing sugar.
■ They are also found in soil, air, on the skins and in the intestine
of animals.
■ They are larger than bacteria.
■ The individual cell length is about O micron .
■ Most yeast is spherical and ellipsoidal. They have been used for
centuries for leavening of bread and to bring about
fermentation of food .
■ They can be harmful to foods if they bring about undesired
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FUNGI
■ MOULD
■ Moulds are multicellular filamentous fungi having a
fuzzy or cottony appearance as they grow in foods.
They are larger than yeast.
■ They are strictly aerobes and require oxygen for
growth and multiplication.
■ They grow slower than bacteria.
■ Moulds frequently grow under conditions of acidity .
■ That is why they are found on jams and jellies .
■ Moulds require less free moisture for growth than
yeast and bacteria the absence of bright light and
presence of stagnant air favour there rapid
development.
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VIRUS
■ The viruses are extremely small ranging from 25-250 micron in size.
■ Although they share some characteristics with living organisms, they
are not truly alive.
■ They replicate inside a living cell using its host cells metabolism.
■ There are no. of ways by which viruses may be transmitted most
common of this is via direct or distance contact i.e. from host to host
by touching or through short distance in air.
■ Indirect transmission may occur. Also via contact with inanimate
objects. By the bite of certain infected insects , by water and food .
■ There are variety of ways in which viruses may enter food.
1. Primary when the food product already contain virus at the time
of slaughter or harvest or
2. Secondary when it occurs during processing. storage or
distribution
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PARASITES
■ An organism which lives in or on another organism (its host) and benefits by
deriving nutrients at the other's expense.
■ There are three types of parasites that feast on humans.
■ Protozoa - one-celled organisms that live and multiply in the blood or tissue of
humans. They infect the body via mosquitoes and flies and are found in soil
and water.
■ Helminths - parasitic flatworms, flukes, tapeworms, thorny-headed worms,
roundworms, and pinworms. They live in the gastrointestinal tract, blood,
lymphatic system, and other tissues.
■ Ectoparasites - ticks, fleas, lice, and mites that live on the surface of a human
host and attach or burrow into the skin.
■ Ingestion of raw or semi-cooked food by humans can lead to infection by
parasites.
■ Food like pork, beef, lamb, shellfish, vegetables act as vehicles for infection.
■ The organism contaminats food when raw human excreta are used as manure
for crops. Infected water poor hygiene also spread parasite.
■ Cooking kills most of these parasites.
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RE CAP

1. Name some micro organisms present in food.

2. What are the 3 main shapes of Bacteria?
3. Based on the requirement of oxygen name the
types of bacteria.
4. What are the two types of Fungi? Explain them.
5. What are parasites? Name them.

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Factors affecting their growth in food
(intrinsic and extrinsic)

■ In most cases, micro-organism utilizes our food supply as

a source of nutrient for their growth. This course can result
in deterioration(decay)of food. The organism not only
deteriorates the food but may also pose risks of disease to
the human being on consumption of such contaminated
food. However, the growth of microorganisms in food may
be affected by several factors like physical, chemical and
biological.
■ These factors can broadly divide into two categories i.e.
■ Intrinsic parameters or intrinsic factors
■ Extrinsic parameters or extrinsic factors
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Factors affecting growth of MOS in food
pH Value

Moisture Content

Intrinsic Nutrient Content

FACTORS
Biological Structure

Anti Microbial Constituents

Temperature

Humidity
Extrinsic
Conc. of gases

Activity of micro - organisms

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Intrinsic Factors
■ Intrinsic parameters are natural or inherent
properties of food. These parameters greatly
affect the number and types of microorganism
that will colonize the food and food product.
Intrinsic parameters affect only microorganisms,
not to the food. Intrinsic parameters of food
include:-
■ pH value
■ Moisture contains(water activity)
■ Nutrients contain
■ Anti-microbial
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constituents
pH Value
■Every organism has a minimal, maximal
and optimal pH for growth.
■Some organism can grow better at low pH
or acidic pH, some can grow in alkaline pH
and while other grow at somewhat neutral
pH.
■pH influence both the growth rate and
types of organism that will predominant the
food.
■ In general yeast and mould are more acid
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Moisture content or water
activity(a w )
■ Microorganisms grow in aqueous solutions.
■ A term, "water activity (aw)" express the degree
of availability of water in foods .
■ Foods with high water content deteriorate fast.
Leafy vegetables, fruits, meat, milk deteriorate
rapidly .
■ Fruits & vegetables can give of moisture from
respiration & transpiration even when packed in a
moisture free package.
■ This moisture is enough for microorganisms to
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 Nutrients Contained
■ The kinds and proportional of nutrient in food are all important in
determining which micro-organism(microorganisms) is most likely
to grow.
■ In general, simple compound is utilized first by the multiplying
microorganisms. Carbohydrate(simple sugar) is most commonly
utilized as an energy source. Protein-rich food like meat, egg, fish
etc. are always spoiled by proteolytic organism because they can
utilize protein as a source of energy if sugar is not available.
■ In fact, protein-rich food promotes more growth of bacteria then
yeast and mould .
■ Similarlly, in general mould can grow in the higher concentration
of sugar, yeast in fairly high concentration but most bacteria grow
best in the low concentration of sugar.
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Anti-microbial Constituents
■ Some foods possess naturally occurring substances
which influence the activity of invading
microorganisms, for example:-
■ In Plant
– Clove
– Garlic
– Mustard oil
■ In Animal
– Cow’s milk
– Eggs
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Biological Structure

■The natural covering of some foods provides

excellent protection against the energy of
micro-organism and spoilage of food by such
microorganisms. Natural covering of food like,
■Testa of seeds
■Shell of egg/nuts
■Peel of fruits/vegetable
■Hide of animal may limit the entry of
microorganisms
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Extrinsic Factors
■ Extrinsic parameters are environmental factors, in which
food and food products are kept. Extrinsic parameters
affect both micro-organism as well as food. Unlike intrinsic
parameters, extrinsic parameters can be maintained and
regulated well. The extrinsic parameters include:-
■ Temperature of storage
■ Relative humidity of the environment
■ Presence and concentration of gases
■ Presence and activities of micro-organism

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Temperature of storage
■ Temperature of storage is a highly important parameter that affects the spoilage of highly
perishable food.
■ Micro-Organisms are reported to grow between -34 0c to 1000c and each organism exhibit a
minimum, optimum and maximum temperature for growth and these are known as
cardinal temperature.
■ Yeast and mould can grow at the temperature range of 20 to 30 0c.
■ Most bacteria can grow well at ordinary temperature(37 0c) ,however, some(thermophiles)
grow at high temperature and other(psychrophilic) grow at low temperature.
■ Microorganisms have optimum growth temperature .They do not grow above or below a
specific range of temperature. Bacteria can grow and survive under more extreme
conditions than those tolerated by any of the molds or yeasts. Bacteria's are classified as:-
■ Psychrophiles - (0-20°C)
■ Mesophiles - (20-45°C)
■ Thermophiles - (45-60°C)
■ Moulds can grow and can survive under more extreme conditions than can the yeasts.
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Relative humidity

■ Humidity is the concentration of water vapour in the atmosphere.

■ Relative humidity is the ratio expressed as the percentage of moisture
in the air to the moisture present in food.
■ Relative humidity and water activity are inter-related i.e. when food
with low water activity are stored in the environment of high humidity,
water will transfer from gas phase (air) to the food and thus increased
water activity of the food ,leading to spoilage by viable micro-
organisms.

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Presence and concentration
of gases
■ Presence of different gases and its varying concentration may
significantly affect the colonizing micro organisms on the food i.e.
surface spoilage is prevented by altering the gaseous
composition.
■ Oxygen is one of the most important gases which affects both
food products as well as micro organisms. Oxygen gas when
comes in contact with food, influence redox potential of food and
finally the microbial growth.
■ Ozone added to food as a preservative action on certain food.
Ozone has GRAS(generally recognized as safe) status in the US,
effective range is 1-5 ppm.
■ However, it has some demerits like strong oxidizing agents,
causes the rancidity of high lipid-containing food.
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Presence and activity of
micro-organism
■ Inhibition or destruction of one population
of micro-organism by the presence of other
population of micro-organism present in the same
habitat is the microbial interference.
■ Some Micro-organisms produced
substances/metabolites (like secondary
metabolites), that are either lethal or inhibitory to
others.

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 MICROBIAL GROWTH CURVE
Number of microorganisms

Time in hours
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MICROBIAL GROWTH CURVE
■ Microbial growth curve  - A curve on a graph that shows the changes in size of
a bacterial population over time.
■ The curve is divided into phase as indicated in the fig:
1. The initial lag phase (A to B), during which there is no growth or even a decline
in numbers. The phase of positive acceleration the rate of growth is continuously
increasing.
2. The log or exponential phase of growth (C to D). during which the rate of
multiplication is most rapid and is constant. The phase of negative acceleration (D
to E). during which the rate of multiplication is decreasing .
3. The maximal stationary phase ( E to F). where numbers remain constant.
4. The accelerated death phase (F to G).
5. The death phase or phase of decline (G to H). during which numbers decrease
at a faster rates then new cells are formed and
6. The survival phase (H to I) during which no cell division occur but remaining cells
survive on endogenous nutrients.
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RE-CAP
1. Classify the factors that affect the growth of micro-organisms in food.
2. Name the intrinsic factors.
3. Name the extrinsic factors.
4. Draw a flow chart of factors affecting the growth of micro-organisms.
5. Define the following terms.
– Psychrophiles
– Mesophiles
– Thermophiles
6. The temperatures at which micro-ganisms grow are called
____________ temperatures.

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THANK
YOU