Microbiological safety problems

coli and enterococci have been isolated front citrus juices, and apple juice has been associated with Cryptosporidiosis. Contamination by hepatitis A and Norwalk-like viruses has been reported in fruit juices (Vasavada, 2003). 

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Worldwide, a major issue for the drinking water industry is the esthetic quahty of water, in particular the taste and smell of the water at the consumer s tap. Apart from chlorine added to most water supplies to ensure microbiological safety, the most common cause of taste and odor problems are algal metabolites in the source water, and the two most common of these are MIB (MIB can also be produced by actinomycetes bacteria) and geosmin, an earthy odor compound. 

This database provides scientific and technical information on the environment. The information is compiled from a set of Royal Society of Chemistry databases. Environmental Chemistry, Health Safety contains information on chemicals deemed to cause actual or potential problems to humans or the environment. The subject coverage is broad and includes such varied topics as animal and microbiological hazards, biological effects of chemicals and radiation, corporate environmental issues, legislation and standards, transportation and storage of chemicals, waste management. Environmental Chemistry, Health Safety can be used to document risk assessment, to assess potential environmental, health, and safety problems, and to study a company s environmental and safety experiences. 

Ross, T. and Olley, J. 1997. Problems and solutions in the application of predictive microbiology. In F. Shahidi, Y. Jones, and D.D. Kitt (Eds.), Seafood Safety, Processing and Biotechnology, pp. 101-118. Lancaster, PA Technomic. 

The methods used for the microbiological analyses of water and food are designed to indicate the degree of contamination and hence the safety and acceptability of the product for consumption. Many of the tests in water and food microbiology are based on the enumeration of the so-called indicator organisms. A direct search for pathogens in food and water is mainly hampered by two problems ... 

A number of veterinary vaccines contain components that are pathogenic in humans and which could conceivably cause disease, although the vast majority are specific to the animals they infect. An example of a disease that infects both animals and humans is rabies, and rabies vaccines are commercially and widely available. However, the problem is overcome by inactivation of the virus to produce a product that is safe for both the vaccinated animal and for those who administer it. However, as Table 14.1 indicates, some products are available that may cause disease in humans if used improperly or should accidental injection or a needle stick injury occur. Clearly, the results of human contamination and infection are microbiological and not toxicological. Nevertheless, it is worth examining these briefly for the sake of completeness and to emphasise that user safety is not the sole domain of pharmaceutical products. 

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