This review discusses the effects of ethanol on the inhibition of growth and germination of fungi and on the inactivation of fungal spores. After a brief survey on the impact of spoilage fungi on the economy and food quality, the major applications of ethanol in controlling fruit decay and extending the shelf-life of food products are reviewed. Many parameters including minimum inhibitory conce...

Food losses caused by pests, contamination and spoilage are enormous. It is estimated1 that 42% of the production of the eight major food and cash crops of the world are lost to pests, with post harvest losses adding a further 10%. Despite the use of modern food processing and distribution systems, food borne diseases still pose a widespread threat to human health as well as being an important ...

Food spoilage is a major issue for the food industry, leading to food waste, substantial economic losses for manufacturers and consumers, and a negative impact on brand names. Among causes, fungal contamination can be encountered at various stages of the food chain (e.g., post-harvest, during processing or storage). Fungal development leads to food sensory defects varying from visual deteriorat...

The unusual attribution of trace amounts of ochratoxin A in some Chinese food commodities to Penicillium polonicum is questioned by European experience in searches for ochratoxinogenic food-spoilage Penicillia, where mistaken attribution is now known to have been due to cryptic Penicillium verrucosum contamination. Consequently, selection of single-spore isolates is recommended as pre-requisite...

Recent trends in food security are promoting an increasing search for trace compounds that can affect human health. Biogenic amines, the so-called natural amines with physiological significance, belong to this group of substances. Their amounts are usually increased during controlled or spontaneous microbial fermentation of food or in the course of food spoilage. Several methods exist for isola...

Recently, the demand for safe and high quality foods, as well as changes in consumer preferences have led to the development of innovative and novel approaches in food packaging technology. One such development is the smart or intelligent food packaging technology. Intelligent packaging has enabled tomonitor and communicate information about food quality. This technology also helps to trace a p...