Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preface -- Basics of food microbiology -- The trajectory of food microbiology -- Microbial growth, survival, and death in foods -- Spores and their significance -- Detection and enumeration of microbes in food -- Rapid and automated microbial methods -- Indicator microorganisms and microbiological criteria -- Gram-negative food-borne pathogenic bacteria -- Salmonella species -- Campylobacter jejuni -- Enterohemorrhagic escherichia coli -- Yersinia enterocolitica -- Shigella species -- Vibrio species -- Gram-positive food-borne pathogenic bacteria -- Listeria monocytogenes -- Staphylococcus aureus -- Clostridium botulinum -- Clostridium perfringens -- Bacillus cereus -- Other microbes important in food -- Fermentative organisms -- Spoilage organisms -- Molds -- Viruses and prions -- Control of microorganisms in food -- Chemical antimicrobials -- Biologically based preservation systems and probiotics -- Physical methods of food preservation -- Industrial strategies of ensuring safe food -- Index.