A Review of Microbial Contamination in Processed and Street Foods

Abstract

As a basic physiology need threat to sufficient food, production is threat to human survival food security was a main issue that has gained global concern. This paper looks at the food borne contamination by assessing the availability of food and accessibility of the available food from a food as a microbiologist’s perspective, there are several microorganisms similarly viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoans, and parasites for which foods serve as vehicles of transmission. Among these agents, several bacteria are most commonly implicated in foodborne outbreak episodes. Foodborne diseases in human beings are caused either by straight contact with infested food animals/animal products (zoonotic) or humans, such as a food handler, or by direct absorption of polluted foods. There are three important terms with regard to foodborne diseases foodborne infections, foodborne toxicoinfections and foodborne intoxications. Foodborne infection is the condition caused by the incorporation of viable cells of a pathogen. For example, Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli infections are brought about by the ingestion of food contaminated with living cells of these pathogens. Finally, foodborne toxicoinfection is that in which the ingestion of viable pathogenic cells causes the toxins productions inside the human body, leading to infection episodes. For example, Vibrio cholerae produces cholera toxin inside the body after being ingested by the host. The morphology, Gram’s reaction, biochemical properties, and associated foods with important foodborne bacteria.