Where food safety and food defense focus on the potential hazards from the accidental or deliberate introduction of agents that
adversely impact the health of the consumer, the rest of food microbiology is a happier story of the beneficial impacts of microorganisms
in foods. History again is full of serendipitous events where foods and beverages were discovered by the accidental introduction
of microorganisms and their subsequent transformational effect on the taste, aroma, texture, and nutritional content of the
food. Fermented foods and beverages date back to ancient times (Wood, 2012). The accidental combination of certain microorganisms,
food, and an ingredient (such as salt) provided the appropriate environment for a fermentation process resulting in a product
palatable to the local population. Sophisticated analyses of archaeological samples from pottery used for bread- and beer-making
dating back to more than 1200 BC revealed that the processes involved the use of sprouted grain which provided starch-degrading
enzymes and an indigenous yeast flora that converted sugar to ethanol (Samuel, 1996). From these accidental fermentations, the
discovery of microorganisms provided a roadmap to the development of starter cultures for producing a number of different fermented
foods and beverages. Coming full circle, next generation sequencing is revealing the intricacies of fermentation processes
and the role of the cascading population of microorganisms. Combining this knowledge with a growing recognition of the role of
microorganisms in health and well-being, the future brings a new array of food products, which have consequences not just o