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MATPROG-Matprogrammet: Norsk mat fra sjø og land

Biofilm, water quality and food production - Improving the water quality for prevention of food spoilage and foodborne diseases

Awarded: NOK 3.2 mill.

Bacteria, moulds and yeasts constitute a great challenge and a significant quality problem for food industry, leading to a major economic impact for the producers due to cleaning, reduced shelf life and loss of products. Many foodborne pathogens are also waterborne pathogens. Increased knowledge about the cross-relationship between these two exposure routes is demanded both national and international. Although bacteria in water and biofilm is a subject of increasing scientific interest, the presence of f ungi in drinking water and within biofilms of distribution systems and production facilities has received limited attention. Nevertheless, waterborne bacteria and fungi are likely associated with taste and odour problems, contamination in food and beverag e preparation, and a variety of health-related effects. Uncertain ramifications of fungi in potable water have led to a limited number of investigations which show that fungi are present in a significant proportion of tap water samples; however, species a bundance and diversity are extremely variable. Results from an project at the National Veterinary Institute concerning moulds in drinking water in Norway, establish the fact that water offers a possible transmission route for a vide variety of mould spe cies known to be pathogenic, mycotoxin producers or act as common contaminators in food and beverage industry. The fungi seem to survive water treatment and contaminate the water reaching the consumers. Our idea is to enable increased knowledge of the m oulds, yeasts and bacteria growing in biofilms within water and water distribution systems, in order to find the contamination source and make cost-effective preventive measures. In order to comply with the new regulation being released 1st of January 200 6 regarding hygiene in foodstuff (852/2004) and the consumers demand for safe food, we will increase the understanding of the health risk of microbial growth on food products.

Funding scheme:

MATPROG-Matprogrammet: Norsk mat fra sjø og land