Microbial Biotechnology in Food Processing and Health: Advances, Challenges, and Potential

This new volume considers how the application of microbial biotechnology in food processing provides nutritional health benefits in foods, focusing on new probiotics and prebiotic-based foods. It provides an informative state-of-the art perspective of the food industry on probiotics and their metabolites, assesses the specific potential health benefits of probiotics in foods, and presents new research and advances on industrial aspects of microbial food technologies. The first section discusses the types and roles of beneficial microbes and/or their metabolites in food products, such as in enhancing food safety by decontaminating or neutralizing toxic components like mycotoxins associated with foods. Section 2 elaborates on recent breakthroughs in the development of novel probiotics incorporated in dairy and non-dairy food products (such as fruits and vegetables), challenges associated with commercialization, and their health benefits. The third section delves into emerging technologies that deal with assessing microbial diversities or management of microbiological hazards in food products.

Deepak Kumar Verma, PhD, is an agricultural science professional in the Food Processing Engineering at the Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (West Bengal). In addition to his area of specialization in plant biochemistry, he has also built a sound background in plant physiology, microbiology, plant pathology, genetics and plant breeding, plant biotechnology and genetic engineering, seed science and technology, and food science and technology.

Ami R. Patel, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Division of Dairy and Food Microbiology, Mansinhbhai Institute of Dairy & Food Technology, Dudhsagar Dairy Campus, India. She has authored papers and technical articles in international and national journals as well as book chapters, books, proceedings, and technical bulletins. She serves as an expert reviewer for several scientific journals.

Sudhanshu Billoria, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Production (Food Processing) at the Center for Research, Consultancy and Publication, Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management, Maharashtra, India. She has published many research papers in peer-reviewed international journals and conference proceedings along with many book chapters.

Geetanjali Kaushik, PhD, is Associate Professor of Environment in the Department of Civil Engineering and the Head of R&D at Hi Tech Institute of Technology, Waluj, Maharashtra, India. She has published many international papers in journals and chapters in books and has participated in international conferences. Dr. Kaushik has worked with the University of California, Berkeley, USA, on an air quality monitoring project for over 40 locations across Delhi, India.

Maninder Kaur, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology, Guru Nanak Dev University, India. She has authored papers, technical articles, book chapters, books, proceedings, and technical bulletins. She is an expert reviewer for several scientific journals and is a member of several academic and professional organizations.