Estimation of Total Fungi Count (TFC) in Dairy Product Samples by Standard Plate Count (SPC) Technique

The preservation of foodstuffs has been essential for human survival. Without any knowledge of microbiology, the earliest food preservation techniques relied on the inactivation of bacteria and fungi responsible for food deterioration. Typically, food items were preserved from microorganisms through dehydrating, salting, heating, chemical preservatives, or fermentation. In order to prevent the proliferation of microorganisms that cause food to spoil, a variety of food preservation techniques and combinations thereof are employed. Microbial food degradation was characterized by the sensory alteration of food products that renders them unacceptable to the consumer. Food spoilage can be caused by physical damage, chemical changes (oxidation and color changes), or a change in flavors and odors induced by microbial growth and metabolism in the food products. The most prevalent cause of food spoilage is microbial growth in food substance, which manifests as visible growth (slime, colonies), textural changes (polymer degradation), or off-odours and off-flavors.