Food Industry and Microbiological Toxins Contamination

Food safety and quality are affected by the growth and development of microbes in the food industry and processing environment and on food products. First, microbes can adhere to the food surface to grow and survive. Pathogenic microbes’ toxins which are secondary metabolites, naturally form a health risk to the consumer. Still, they need high temperatures to grow and survive, and it rarely causes the spoilage of foodstuffs. It may enter the manufacturing process and reach the product in several ways, like raw materials, air in the manufacturing area, chemicals employed, process surfaces, or factory personnel. This chapter focuses on microbial toxins and contamination in the food industry, ways and mechanisms of contamination, and how to reduce and prevent contamination.