In the food industry, early studies of spoilage of imported orange juice concentrates (Ingram, 1960; Ingramet al., 1956) described adaptation as enhanced resistance of yeasts to preservatives, being a result of
previous exposure to preservatives at lower concentrations. It is generally envisaged thatwithin factories, spillages of food products containing
preservatives could allow growth of an adapted spoilage flora.
Physiological tests on adaptation to benzoic acid (Warth, 1977, 1988) showed that the concentration required to inhibit the growth of yeast increased between 40 and 100% after prior growth in the preservative. Similarly, adaptation to acetic acid and propionic acid was reported by Malfeito Ferreira et al. (1997).