advances in methods for detecting, enumerating and identifying yeasts in foods
TRANSCRIPT
International Union of Microbiological Societies International Committee on Food Mycology
A SYMPOSIUM
Advances in Methods for Detecting, Enumerating and Identifying Yeasts in Foods
Traditional methodology for assessing the mycological quality of foods is often laborious and time consuming. Techniques commonly used for determining yeast populations in foods and beverages generally require three to five days before accurate counts can be made on agar media. Estimations of populations of xerorotolerant and other slow-growing yeasts require an even longer incubation time. The past decade has brought numerous advancements in methods for detecting, isolating, enumerating and identifying foodborne yeasts. The use of modern biotechnology and electrometric techniques as tools for developing rapid, sensitive methods has added a new dimension to this process. Newly developed kits can be used to identify isolates based on biochemical capabilities. However, most of these kits have been developed for identifying clinical strains and are therefore often of minimal value to the food mycologist.
The Eighth International Symposium on Yeasts (8th 1SY), held in Atlanta, Georgia, August 23-28, 1992, provided an opportunity to formally recognize advancements in foodborne yeast methodology. A half-day symposium entitled Advances in Methods for Detecting, Enumerating and Identifying Yeasts in Foods, consisting of six presentations, was organized for this conference. The symposium was held under the auspices of the International Commission on Food Mycology under the Mycology Division of the International Union of Microbiological Soci- eties, on which the organizers serve as members. We are grateful to the authors for accepting our invitation to actively participate at the 8th ISY and also for their willingness to prepare a manuscript for publication in the International Journal of Food Microbiology
The Organizers Dr. Larry R. Beuchat,
University of Georgia, Griffin, USA Dr. Tibor Defik,
University of Horticulture and Food Industry, Budapest, Hungary