Microbial stress and recovery in food

The symposium aimed to bring together scientists who were currently working in different aspects of microbial stress and viability, especially in the area of food science and technology. Some sessions were assigned to basic research regarding molecular, cellular and metabolic mechanisms of stress and recovery, while others were assigned to more applied research regarding food industries. The concept of stress which is sometimes debated, was here regarded according to its largest acceptation. The same term of stress was employed for microbial cells present in unfavourable environmental conditions (non optimal temperature, acidic, salted or dry medium, oxygen or nutrient starvation etc.) and for cells being damaged by a more or less lethal treatment (heating freezing, drying etc.).