Microbial Ecology of Foods, Volume II: Food Commodities is a comprehensive treatise on the microbiology of specific commodity groups. The commodity groups discussed include meat, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, and their products. Other groups included are feeds of animal origin and pet foods; agricultural crops and their products; fats and oils; beverages; confectioneries; miscellaneous foods; and natural mineral waters. Composed of 15 chapters, this book has chapters that cover the important properties of the food commodity that affects the microbial content. The initial microbial flora on flesh foods at slaughter or on vegetable foods at harvest and the effects of harvest, transport, processing, and storage on the microbial content are discussed as well. Furthermore, this text explains the means of controlling the process and the microbial content. Each chapter is a review of applied microbiology, compiled by leading authorities selected solely for their expert knowledge. The final chapter emphasizes factors that contribute to outbreaks of foodborne disease. This volume will greatly appeal to those interested primarily in applied aspects of food microbiology, such as food processors, microbiologists, and technologists; veterinarians; public health workers; and regulatory officials.