Other microwave-assisted processes: Microwaves as a method ensuring microbiological safety of food

Food is one of the most important transmission routes of pathogens. The richness of nutrients in food products ensures an optimal growth environment for many microorganisms, including pathogens. For this reason, it is expedient to develop new and improve currently known methods of controlling microorganisms in food and its processing plants. One of these methods is the use of microwaves. Microwaves are a type of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between infrared and ultra-short waves. The mechanism of antimicrobial action of microwave is attributed both to heating and the impact of radiation on changes in the cell elements, including microbial cell wall damage, genomic DNA damage, and thermal coagulation of cytoplasmic proteins. This chapter presents issues related to the morphology of microorganisms, the characteristics of microorganisms present in food, mainly in seafood, covering also the disinfection induced by microwaves, antimicrobial activities, and possible lethal damage to microorganisms, as a method to control microbes in food.