Browsing by Author "Soumia El Malahi"

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    Detection of Microbial Contaminants in Food and Food Products.
    (IGI Global Scientific Publishing, 2025) MaMatthew Chidozie Ogwu; Tonjock Rosemary Kinge; Soumia El Malahi; Fredrick Ojija
    The detection of microbial contaminants in food and food products is a cornerstone of public health protection and food safety assurance. As foodborne diseases continue to pose a global burden, with pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and norovirus accounting for millions of illnesses annually, the need for robust and reliable detection methodologies has become increasingly urgent. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving landscape of microbial detection in food systems. It begins by exploring the sources and path ways of microbial contamination across the “farm- to- fork” continuum, highlighting critical control points and microbial risk factors. Emphasis is placed on sampling strategies, including representative sampling, sample preparation, and enrichment protocols, which form the foundation of accurate microbial detection. The chapter then examines diverse detection strategies, including culture- based methods, immunological assays (such as enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay and lateral flow tests), and molecular techniques like polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative PCR, loop- mediated isothermal amplification, and next- generation sequencing. Emerging technologies such as biosensors, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats- based diagnostics, and metagenomics are also discussed for their potential to enhance sensitivity, specificity, and rapidity in pathogen detection. Each technique is assessed in terms of sensitivity, specificity, operational feasibility, and its integration into food safety risk management frameworks. Special attention is given to validation standards, harmonization efforts, and the challenges of deploying these technologies in low- resource settings. The chapter concludes by identifying emerging trends, such as artificial intelligence- assisted detection and portable diagnostics, which hold promise for revolutionizing microbial monitoring in food systems. By bridging microbiological principles with practical applications and regulatory contexts, offering critical insights for researchers, food safety practitioners, and policymakers.