Sublethal heating, irradiation, or treatment with toxic chemicals frequently causes injury to microorganisms and impaired growth without death.
Injury is reflected through an increased lag phase, less resistance to environmental conditions, and greater sensitivity to other inhibitory conditions.
Synergistically combinations of inhibitory agents, such as irradiation plus heat and heat plus chemicals, can increase microbial sensitivity to inhibitory conditions.
Injured cells appear to require synthesis of some essential cell material (that is, ribonucleic acid or enzymes) before recovery is accomplished.
Microbial growth is inhibited through maintenance of hygienic condition to reduce debris available to support bacterial proliferation.
Controlling microbial growth
