[Predictive microbiology. Toward an operational tool to help our appraisal]

Knowledge of microbiological behavior in foods is a prerequisite to food processing quality control. From the mid eighties to the mid nineties, much research established growth and secondary models adapted to the main food pathogens, taking into consideration ecology factors such as temperature, pH, and Nacl concentration. This work led to the development of software to predict micro-organism growth. These devices were found however to be of little use because growth in limit conditions was poorly estimated and food composition or structure were not considered. More factors have to be taken into account when building a useful and informative tool for diagnosis. Food data and impact of food processing must be considered.