Methods to determine the growth domain in a multidimensional environmental space

Int J Food Microbiol. 2005 Apr 15;100(1-3):3-12. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2004.10.003. Epub 2004 Nov 23.

Abstract

Data from a database on microbial responses to the food environment (ComBase, see www.combase.cc) were used to study the boundary of growth several pathogens (Aeromonas hydrophila, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica). Two methods were used to evaluate the growth/no growth interface. The first one is an application of the Minimum Convex Polyhedron (MCP) introduced by Baranyi et al. [Baranyi, J., Ross, T., McMeekin, T., Roberts, T.A., 1996. The effect of parameterisation on the performance of empirical models used in Predictive Microbiology. Food Microbiol. 13, 83-91.]. The second method applies logistic regression to define the boundary of growth. The combination of these two different techniques can be a useful tool to handle the problem of extrapolation of predictive models at the growth limits.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aeromonas hydrophila / growth & development*
  • Escherichia coli / growth & development*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Listeria monocytogenes / growth & development*
  • Logistic Models
  • Mathematics
  • Models, Biological*
  • Temperature
  • Yersinia enterocolitica / growth & development*