Our Food (and Beverages)

Overview: Microbes play major and disparate roles in food production, processing, upgrading, deterioration and conservation, and in global food security. And, of course, microbes themselves serve as sources of food, sources that will assume ever-increasing importance in the search for solutions to current crises of greenhouse gas emissions and global warming, the rising human population and its increasing need for food, the soil crisis and limited land surface for agriculture. Let’s learn about our food!

(For vignettes of individual fermented foods, see the Fermented Food Stars Portrait Gallery)

Creation of the TFs is a work in progress: those already available are indicated by titles that are live links. Titles of those still in the pipeline are shown for context.

Microbes as food

Microbial conversions and processing of food materials

Microbial improvement of nutritional/health value

Influence of microbes on production of food animals/plants

Food deterioration and conservation