# Food safety culture and the control of microbial communities in food production environments

## TL;DR

This paper explores how food safety is improved by managing microbial communities in food production through hygiene and advanced microbiology.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the use of advanced microbiology and genomics to refine strategies for controlling microbial risks in food production.

## Key findings

- Hygiene programs use chemical treatments and engineering controls to reduce microbial risks.
- Advanced microbiology provides actionable evidence on local microbial ecologies.
- Refined strategies help disrupt the transmission of microbial risks to foods.

## Abstract

Food safety risks are controlled in agrifood settings by reducing the microbial burden in food ingredients and food production environments. Hygiene programmes involve an incremental implementation of chemical treatments (e.g., disinfectants) and engineering controls (e.g., elimination of susceptible harbourage sites). The strategies to disrupt the presence and transmission of microbial risks to foods are being refined by advanced microbiology and genomics that provide actionable evidence on the precise nature of local ecologies.