Uncovering the dormant food hazards, a review of foodborne microbial spores' detection and inactivation methods with emphasis on their application in the food industry

摘要

Background: Spores are dormant structures that are widespread in various foodstuffs leading to food spoilage or foodborne illness. Many attempts have been made to eliminate and minimize spores in food with though inactivation processes not always efficient. To overcome the limitations of inactivation procedures, detection methods for spores are warranted to avoid its hazards. Scope and approach: In this study, we present a comprehensive state of the art review on the various inactivation procedures i.e., radiation, heat, chemical, and sporicidal agents or combined technologies with a focus on their advantages and limitations. Finally, a review of the different detection methods including molecular, microscopic, spectroscopic, biosensors, and immunoassays is presented highlighting their applications in the food industry.