A large group of one-celled microorganisms widely
distributed in nature. See MICROORGANISM.
any of a class of microscopic plants having various shapes, sizes, motilities, and environmental specializations.
Excerpts from Bender, Arnold E. 1990. Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology. Butterworths, Boston.
Microscopic, unicellular plants which do not contain chlorophyll; mostly 0.5-3um in size. They are responsible for much food spoilage and for disease; but are also made use of, as in biological oxidation, and fermentation, such as the pickling process and the souring of milk. Some bacteria, the so-called pathogens, produce toxins which cause disease. Some are spore-formers and in this form they are more resistant to heat and sterilizing agents. Bacteria contain 45-85% dry matter as protein and are grown on petroleum residues, methane or methanol for animal feed.
