4. Destruction of micro-organisms and sanitation

The destruction of micro-organisms is a phenomenon widely used in the food and biological industries to preserve products and foodstuffs and sanitize surfaces.

As with all living organisms, we can characterize two major physiological states for micro-organisms: life and death. What differentiates these two states is their ability to reproduce when alive, but not when dead, whatever the culture conditions.

The application of a physical or chemical treatment to a population of microbial cells can result in damage to the cells without destroying them, leading to their death. These are known as stressed cells. The damage they have sustained can be repaired, and reproduction resumed, if the cells are placed under specific conditions. The choice of culture medium is important, and the selective media commonly used in microbiology are unsuitable....