Microbiology of food taints

Fresh and processed foods are often spoilt by the presence of undesirable flavours and odours caused by microbial action. The aim of this paper is to review the current knowledge of microbiologically induced taints that occur in a wide range of foodstuffs, including meats, poultry, fish, crustaceans, milk, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, cereals and cereal products. Examples have been chosen where the compounds responsible for the taint have been identified and sufficient data obtained to demonstrate the involvement of microorganisms. However, in some cases the full identity of the causative organism may not have been elucidated. The types of microorganisms covered by this review include bacteria, fungi, yeasts, actinomycetes and cyanobacteria. Although cyanobacteria do not in general infect foods, their presence in aqueous systems and water supplies can lead to off-flavours in aquatic organisms and processed foodstuffs. Several examples of each of these processes are discussed. Wherever possible, the likely biosynthetic pathway used by the microorganism to produce the offending compound in a foodstuff is indicated.