Bacterial spores are extremely resistant and therefore widespread in food ingredients and foods. Efficacy of control of sporeformers by the food processing industry is challenging due to diversity between strains and species with respect to their spore robustness and ability to rapidly germinate. Food processing and food characteristics can impose significant selective pressure on sporeformers, whereby most robust sporeformers and/or the best growers predominate. This symposium will focus on diversity of relevant food sporeformers (both pathogens and spoilage organisms) and the implication for controlling food safety and quality. We will address these issues with leading experts in the spore research field, discussing quantification of natural diversity between strains and between species, genetic biomarkers for high spore heat resistance and diversity in growth performance of germinated spores, thereby highlighting the relevance for these aspects in the actual control of sporeformers in food.

Presentations