This Brief will review the methods that are currently available for the detection, isolation, and typing of pathogenic E. coli with a particular focus on foodborne diseases caused by the Shiga toxigenic E. coli group, which have been implicated in a number of significant outbreaks in recent years. Pathogenic forms of E. coli can cause a variety of diarrheal diseases in hosts due to the presence of specific colonization and virulence factors, and pathogenicity-associated genes, which are ge...

The book will provide an overview of the advancement of fundamental knowledge and applications of antimicrobial peptides in biomedical, agricultural, veterinary, food, and cosmetic products. Antimicrobial peptides stand as potentially great alternatives to current antibiotics, and most research in this newly-created area has been published in journals and other periodicals. It is the editors’ opinion that it is timely to sum up the most important achievements in the field and provide the s...

"Alginates: Biology and Applications" provides an overview of the state of art of alginate material properties, genetics and the molecular mechanisms underlying alginate biosynthesis as well as applications of tailor-made alginates in medicine, food and biotechnology.Topics treated are: material properties of alginates, alginate production: precursor biosynthesis, polymerization and secretion, bacterial system for alginate uptake and degradation, enzymatic alginate modification, al...

Asia has a long history of preparation and consumption of various types of ethnic fermented foods and alcoholic beverages based on available raw substrates of plant or animal sources and also depending on agro-climatic conditions of the regions. Diversity of functional microorganisms in Asian ethnic fermented foods and alcoholic beverages consists of bacteria (Lactic acid bacteria and Bacillus species, micrococcii, etc.), amylolytic and alcohol-producing yeasts and filamentous mou...

The present work aims to cover the perspectives of biosurfactants, which can be of interest in food-related industries and biomedical applications. Biosurfactants are a structurally diverse group of surface-active molecules extensively produced by bacteria, yeast and fungi. Despite having significant potential associated with emulsion formation, anti-adhesive and antimicrobial activities, considerably few applications have been reported regarding applications of biosurfactants in food form...

Grapevine is a crop of major economical interest, and wine represents a multicultural heritage which has been growing since several milleniums. Yet, modern viticulture must face several challenges. Global climate has increased berry sugar content (and alcohol in the wine) whereas phenolic and aromatic ripeness are not always achieved. Water supply is becoming shorter. New varieties better adapted to new climatic conditions might have to be planted, which may affect wine typicity. Phytochem...

It is generally assumed that microorganisms synthesize, release, detect and respond to small signaling hormone-like molecules. These molecules are used for a process termed “quorum sensing” (QS), a phenomenon that enables bacteria to sense when the minimal number of cells, or “quorum,” is achieved for a concerted response to be initiated. Words such as “language” and “behavior” are frequently used to depict QS in the literature. More simply put, language and cross-talk between bacteria, an...

Vibrational spectroscopy techniques, which have traditionally been used to provide non-destructive, rapid, and relevant information on microbial systematics, are useful for classification and identification. In conjunction with advanced chemometrics, infrared spectroscopy enables the biochemical signatures from microbiological structures to be extracted and analysed. In addition, a number of recent studies have shown that Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy can help to understa...

The molecular age has brought about dramatic changes in medical microbiology, and great leaps in our understanding of the mechanisms of infectious disease. Molecular Medical Microbiology is the first book to synthesise the many new developments in both molecular and clinical research in a single comprehensive resource.This timely and authoritative three-volume work is an invaluable reference source of medical bacteriology. Comprising more than 100 chapters, organized into 17 major sections...

This book summarizes the current state of knowledge concerning bacteria that use halogenated organic compounds as respiratory electron acceptors. The discovery of organohalide-respiring bacteria has expanded the range of electron acceptors used for energy conservation, and serves as a prime example of how scientific discoveries are enabling innovative engineering solutions that have transformed remediation practice. Individual chapters provide in-depth background information on the discove...

This book presents an in depth study of different aspects of pesticide use in food production. The text covers the sources of pesticide residues in foods, relevant health and environmental concerns, degradation of pesticides after their use, and available laws and regulations to regulate pesticide use. In addition, different pesticide management techniques, such as: reduction of pesticide residues in grains and foods, alternatives to conventional pesticides, and prospects of organ...

The future of agriculture strongly depends on our ability to enhance productivity without sacrificing long-term production potential. An ecologically and economically sustainable strategy is the application of microorganisms, such as the diverse bacterial species of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB). The use of these bio-resources for the enhancement of crop productivity is gaining worldwide importance.Bacteria in Agrobiology: Crop Ecosystems describes the beneficial ...