Book excerpt: While minimally processed foods satisfy the increasing market demands for foods with fewer preservatives, higher nutritive value, and fresh sensory attributes, there is a greater risk of diseases if they are improperly handled. Microbial Safety of Minimally Processed Foods explores innovative preventative solutions to food-borne diseases from the perspectives of the producer, the handler, the consumer, the food preparer, as well as the food inspector, and researcher. This book provides you with the latest research and insight into assuring the microbial safety of red meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruits, and bakery products that receive less than stringent sterilizing preparation. It explores and describes the methods used for pathogen detection along with strategies for preventing future pathogen occurrences in the minimally processed foods. The book also provides in-depth evaluations of HACCP regulations and risk assessments of those minimally processed foods. Designed to stimulate the development of increasingly safer foods, Microbial Safety of Minimally Processed Foods details state-of-the-art technologies that have the potential to enhance microbiological safety of minimally processed foods without sacrificing their natural, untreated visual appearance and sensory properties.