Environmental and Physiological Determinants of Microbial Lag Phase: Implications for Predictive Microbiology

Understanding the extrinsic and intrinsic environmental factors that influence lag phase duration is critical for developing strategies to control the growth of foodborne pathogens. Although the exponential growth rate can be predicted as a straightforward response to the growth environment, lag phase duration is difficult to predict because it depends on not only the current growth conditions but also the previous growth environment and physiological status of the bacterial cells. Therefore, this article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic, adaptable, and evolvable nature of the lag phase. It is based on relevant literature (experimental studies, literature summaries, observational data) on the effect of pre- and postgrowth environments. We discuss the modeling strategies employed to incorporate physiological heterogeneity and dynamic food environments into predictive modeling frameworks. Overall, we summarize the empirical and mechanistic modeling strategies for quantifying lag phase duration.