Nature Abhors a Vacuum: Highly Diverse Mechanisms Enable Spoilage Fungi to Disperse, Survive, and Propagate in Commercially Processed and Preserved Foods.

Fungal spoilage in processed foods remains a challenge for food manufacturers despite the increasing availability of diverse processing and formulation strategies used to control foodborne microorganisms. Physiological features of yeasts and molds contribute to their tolerance to thermal processing, acidity, desiccation, and oxygen and nutrient limitations. These features variably include growth form, cell wall structure, cytoplasmic composition, cell membrane-bound proteins, and secretion of secondary metabolites. Collectively, these mechanisms contribute to the ability of fungi to disperse, survive, and propagate in highly restrictive food environments. The diversity of fungal growth and survival mechanisms has resulted in organisms adapted to nearly all food environments; although, only a small subset of fungi are particularly suited for spoilage of a given product. The relationship between the individual physiology and metabolic capabilities of a yeast or mold and the product's specific physicochemical attributes and processing history determines spoilage potential. Explicit characterization of the fungal features responsible for this extremotolerance contributes to more targeted and effective control strategies.