This book gives an overview of the physiology, health, safety and functional aspects of microorganisms present in food and fermented foods. A particular focus is on the health effects of probiotics and non-dairy functional foods. The book deals also with microbes that cause food spoilage and produce toxins, and the efficiency of edible biofilm in the protection of packaged foods. Several chapters are devoted to the occurrence of Listeria pathogens in various food sources. Further topics are fortified foods, the role of trace elements, and the preservation of food and extension of food shelf life by a variety of measures.
Non Dairy Functional Foods: Potential of Probiotics.- Impact of Probiotics and Gut Microbiota on Host Behavior.- Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Potential of Polyphenols from Foods.- Oxidative Stress: Role of Natural Antioxidant Compounds.- Medicinal Importance of Mangrove Plants.- Health Benefits and Possible Risks of Herbal Medicine.- Health Benefits of Trace Elements in Human Diseases.- Fortified Foods and Medicinal Plants as Immunomodulators.- Health Benefits of Probiotics Consumption.- Application of Active Edible Film as Food Packaging for Food Preservation and Extending Shelf-life.- Edible Membranes Containing Antimicrobial Compounds: Current Approach and Future Prospects.- Irradiation: A Technique for Microbial Decontamination of Medicinal Plants.- Microbial Food Spoilage: Control Strategies for Shelf Life Extension Aspergillus and ochratoxin A in Latin America.- Listeria monocytogenes in Milk Products.- Listeria species: Re-emerging Pathogen in Drinking Water Utilities.- Listeria monocytogenes: A Dangerous and Insidious Pathogen in Seafood.- Prevalence and Persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in dairy and other ready-to-eat food products in Africa.
