Chapter 2

~Groups of microorganisms important

in foods~

Prepared by:
Ilyanie Hj. Yaacob
 Syllabus content

 Moulds important in foods (Mucor, Rhizopus, Penicillium,

Aspergillus, etc).
 Yeasts important in foods (Saccharomyces, Debaromyces, Candida,
Rhodotorula, etc).
 Bacteria important in foods (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas
sp., Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., E. coli 0157, Vibrio cholera, Bacillus
cereus, Clostridium, etc)
Moulds
 Moulds
 A type of non-motile multicellular eukaryotic fungi.
 Compose of large numbers of filaments called hyphae.
 The hyphae are aggregated and called mycelium.
 Mycelium is considered a single organism.
 Moulds

 The hyphae is divided into

compartments separated by cross
walls known as septa.
 Some mold have hyphae that has
no cross walls present (non
sephate/coenocytic).
 Moulds
 Reproduction occurs from spore formation.
 Spores may contain a single nucleus or be multinucleate.
 The dusty texture of many molds is caused by spores formed by
differentiation at the ends of hyphae.
 Many of these spores are colored, making the fungus much more
obvious to the human eye at this stage in its life-cycle.
 Moulds
 Spores can be asexual or sexual (many
species can produce both). 
 Types of asexual spores:

a) Sporangiospores - formed within a

sporangium (sac). Sporangia are formed at
the end of aerial hyphae called
sporangiophores.
b) Conidiospores - a unicellular or
multicellular spore that is not enclosed in a
sac. Conidia are produced in a chain at the
end of aerial hyphae called conidiophores.
 Moulds

 Types of sexual spores:

a) Zygospores – sexual spores

formed  after the fusion
of hyphae of different mating types
(negative and positive).
b) Ascospores – sexual spores
formed in a sac-like structure called
an ascus.
 Moulds

c) Basidiospores – sexual spores formed

externally on a base pedestal called a
basidium.
 Moulds
 Important genera:

1) Mucor
2) Rhizopus
3) Penicillium
4) Aspergillus
5) Geotrichum
6) Neurospora
7) Fusarium
 Moulds

1) Genus Mucor:
 Nonseptate hyphae.
 Asexual spores: sporangiospores. Sexual spores: zygospores.

Advantageous M. indicus : used in production of several beers and

species foods.

Disadvantageou
s species M. rouxii : cause spoilage of vegetables.
 Moulds

2) Genus Rhizopus:
 Nonseptate hyphae.
 Asexual spores: sporangiospores. Sexual spores: zygospores.

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou
s species R. stolonifer : common black bread mould.
 Moulds
3) Genus Penicillium:
 Septate hyphae.
 Asexual spores: conidiospores. (anamorphs;produce asexual spores
only)
 Produce mycotoxin.
Advantageous
species P. roquerfortii : used in cheese production.

Disadvantageou
s species
 Moulds
4) Genus Aspergillus:
 Septate hyphae.
 Asexual spores: conidiospores. Sexual spores: ascospores.
 Xerophilic.
 Some strains produce mycotoxin, e.g. A. flavus.

Advantageous
species A. oryzae : used in sake production.

Disadvantageou
s species
 Moulds
5) Genus Geotrichum:
 Septate hyphae
 Asexual spores: arthrospore (type of conidiospores).

 Grow and forming a yeastlike cottony, creamy colony.

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou
s species G. candidium: cause spoilage on dairy products.
 Moulds

6) Genus Neurospora:
 Septate hyphae.
 Asexual spores: conidiospores. Sexual spores: ascospores.

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou
s species
 Moulds
7) Genus Fusarium:
 Septate hyphae.
 Asexual spores: conidiospores. Sexual spores: ascospores.
 Some strains produce mycotoxin.

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou F. graminearum : commonly infects barley if there

s species is rain late in the season.
Yeasts
 Yeasts

 Yeasts is a type of non motile fungi that contains only a single

eukaryotic cell.
 Some species may also develop multicellular characteristics by
forming strings of connected budding cells known as pseudohyphae
or false hyphae (e.g. Candida sp.).
 Yeasts

 It has oval, spherical or elongated shape.

 The yeasts, like most fungi, respire
oxygen (aerobic respiration), but in the
absence of air they derive energy by
fermenting sugars and carbohydrates to
produce ethanol and carbon dioxide.
 Reproduction occur mostly through
budding formation, even though some
species reproduce through binary fission.
 Some yeast form ascospores.
 Yeasts

 Important genera:

1) Saccharomyces
2) Debaryomyces
3) Candida
4) Rhodotorula
5) Torulopsis
6) Pichia
 Yeasts
1) Genus Saccharomyces:

Advantageous S. cerevisiae : used in bread manufacturing, wines,

species alcohol.

Disadvantageou
s species S. lactis : cause spoilage in milk and milk products.
 Yeasts
2) Genus Debaryomyces:

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou D. hansenii : most common yeast species found in

s species cheese (can produce killer toxins).
 Yeasts
3) Genus Candida:

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou C. lipolytica : cause rancidity in butter and dairy

s species products.
 Yeasts
4) Genus Rhodotorula (pigment-forming yeast):

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou R. glutinis : cause discolorations on food such as in

s species meat and fish.
 Yeasts
5) Genus Torulopsis:

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou T. versatilis : cause spoilage of milk (ferment

s species lactose).
 Yeasts
6) Genus Pichia:

Advantageous P. fermentans : help in the development of the fine

species aroma of cocoa beans. 

Disadvantageou
s species P. guilliermondii : cause spoilage of wine.
Bacteria
 Bacteria

 Bacteria is a unicellular prokaryotic cells.

 It has several morphology forms.
 Bacteria
 Bacteria can be motile or non motile.
 The cytoplasmic materials are enclosed in a cell wall on the surface
and a membrane beneath the wall.
 The organelle does not enclosed in a separate membrane.
 Bacteria
 Bacterial are grouped as gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
Bacteria
 Bacteria
 Important genera:

1. Staphylococcus
2. Pseudomonas
3. Salmonella
4. Shigella
5. Escherichia
6. Vibrio
7. Bacillus
8. Clostridium
9. Lactobacillus
10.Streptococcus
 Bacteria
1) Genus Staphylococcus:
 Coccus, gram-positive, facultative anaerobe.
 Non-spore forming, non-motile.

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou S. aureus : produce enterotoxin which causes food

s species poisoning.
 Bacteria
2) Genus Pseudomonas:
 Rod, gram-negative, aerobe.
 Non-spore forming, motile.

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou
s species P. aeruginosa : cause fish and meat spoilage.
 Bacteria
3) Genus Salmonella:
 Rod, gram-negative, facultative anaerobe.
 Non-spore forming, motile.

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou
s species
 Bacteria
4) Genus Shigella:
 Rod, gram-negative, facultative anaerobe.
 Non-spore forming, non-motile.

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou
s species
 Bacteria
5) Genus Escherichia:
 Rod, gram-negative, facultative anaerobe.
 Non-spore forming, motile.

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou E. coli 0157:H7 : cause severe diarrhea and kidney

s species damage.
 Bacteria
6) Genus Vibrio:
 Rod, gram-negative, facultative anaerobe.
 Non-spore forming, motile.

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou
s species
 Bacteria
7) Genus Bacillus:
 Rod, gram-positive, aerobe or facultative anaerobe.
 Spore forming, motile.

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou B. stearothermophilus : cause food spoilage in

s species canned products.
 Bacteria
8) Genus Clostridium:
 Rod, gram-positive, anaerobe.
 Spore forming, motile.

Advantageous
species

Disadvantageou C. perfringens : cause stormy fermentation in foods

s species (disruption of curd in milk).
 Bacteria
9) Genus Lactobacillus:
 Rod, gram-positive, facultative anaerobe or microaerophile.
 Non-spore forming, non-motile.

Advantageous
species L. acidophilus : used as probiotics:

Disadvantageou
s species L. casei : cause spoilage in wine or beer.
 Bacteria
10) Genus Streptococcus:
 Coccus, gram-positive, facultative anaerobe.
 Non-spore forming, non-motile.

Advantageous S. thermophillus : used in cheese making and

species yogurt.

Disadvantageou S. pyogenes : found in raw milk (cause human

s species septic sore throat and scarlet fever).
 Bacteria

 Groups of bacteria important in food bacteriology:

1. Lactic acid bacteria 8. Thermophilic and thermoduric bacteria

2. Acetic acid bacteria 9. Halophilic and osmophilic bacteria

3. Butyric acid bacteria 10.Pigmented bacteria

4. Propionic acid bacteria 11.Slime or rope forming bacteria

5. Proteolytic acid bacteria 12.Gas forming bacteria

6. Lipolytic acid bacteria 13.Coliform and fecal coliform group

7. Saccharolytic bacteria
 Bacteria

Lactic acid bacteria:

 Bacteria which has the ability to ferment sugars to lactic acid.
 It can be manipulated in the food industry e.g. it is important in
cheese making but undesirable in term of spoilage of wines.
 Major genera: Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus,
Pediococcus.
 Bacteria

Proteolytic bacteria:
 Produce extracellular proteases (enzymes which diffuse outside of the
cells) and catalyzes the breakdown of protein.
 Important genera : Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Clostridium, Proteus.
 Bacteria

Coliform and fecal coliform group.

 Coliforms are bacteria that live in the intestines of warm-blooded
animals (humans, pets, farm animals, and wildlife). 
 Fecal coliform bacteria are a kind of coliform associated with human
or animal wastes. It is capable to grow at an elevated temperature
(44.5°C).
 Major genera: Escherichia, Enterobacter.