With contributions from experts in environmental, food, oral, medical, and veterinary microbiology, this book takes an innovative and interdisciplinary approach that sheds new light on microbial communities and their interactions within and between different environments, with particular emphasis on food systems. The book underscores the central role played by food and food-borne microbes in host ecosystem development by connecting complex ecosystems from the environment to the host and linking them to the food carrier.



Food-Borne Microbes is organized into five sections. The first section introduces major microbial ecosystems associated with hosts, foods, and the natural environment. The second section describes various mechanisms and manifestations of microbial interaction. The example of antibiotic resistance is used in the third section to illustrate the interactions among food, environmental, and host microbial systems and their potential impact on public health. The next section focuses on notable food-borne bacteria as models to demonstrate core concepts set forth in the previous chapters. The final section introduces new and emerging tools for advancing the study of microbial ecosystems.



This book serves as an excellent introduction to important concepts, mechanisms, and tools used in microbial ecology and medical microbiology research. Moreover, its comprehensive and integrated approach to microbial ecology as it relates to food microbiology, the environment, and the host serves as a springboard for developing new, effective approaches for ensuring safe foods and healthy hosts.



Key Features

· Explores emerging interdisciplinary areas, with expert coverage from researchers in environmental, food, oral, medical, and veterinary microbiology

· Offers new perspectives on the important relationship of food and food-borne microfloras to public health

· Elucidates the complexity of microbial ecosystems associated with various types of foods

· Identifies key elements of the food chain that should be considered in ecosystem studies

· Addresses both positive and negative effects of food-borne microbes on the host and their roles in shaping the ecosystems of the gut and oral cavities

· Stimulates new ideas and opportunities for future microbiology research