Food Preservation and Safety of Natural Products

Book excerpt: Food Preservation and Safety of Natural Products addresses the most common causes of food spoilage that create significant loss to global food production while also discussing how food serves as a vehicle for the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms responsible for mild to debilitating health conditions in humans. The book provides essential information for food safety professionals on issues relating to foodborne diseases and offers potential solutions by presenting various methods of incorporating natural products in food production to prevent the spread of foodborne pathogenic organisms. The demand for green consumerism and consumers general distaste for synthetic food additives poses a serious challenge to food safety and preservation. Natural products are used as green and sustainable source of bioactive compounds that can be applied in various fields including food. The use of plant and other natural products in food preservation is on the rise, hence this book reviews microbial mediated food spoilage, foodborne pathogens and food contamination and offers applications of natural products in food preservation. Provides important information on microbial metabolic by-products (natural enzymatic processes) to prevent food spoilage or deterioration Includes molecular techniques for antimicrobial and antioxidant applications in food, food packaging and edible films Presents the latest evidence-based science on the natural products used as additives in food