By: Julian, Jonell Andrei A.

(Virtual Internship Programme student from University Santo Tomas, Philippines. The programme was coordinated by UPM Microbial Culture Collection (UPM-MCC), Institute of Bioscience)

Have you ever heard of the 5-second rule? This rule suggests that if you drop a piece of food on the floor, you must pick it up within 5 seconds to avoid germs making the food inedible. This concept reflects a common misconception about germs, which are usually associated with negative effects. However, not all germs, or microbes, are harmful. In fact, only about 10% of known bacteria are pathogenic to susceptible hosts, and approximately 5% of these are pathogenic to humans[1].

Historically, various bacteria have been utilized by our ancestors, often by accident. For instance, the discovery of cheese resulted from the practice of storing milk in the rumen of animals. The bacteria in the rumen, particularly lactic acid bacteria, caused fermentation, leading to the accidental creation of cheese. Since then, numerous varieties of cheese have been developed with the help of bacteria, yeasts, and filamentous fungi (molds)[2]. Additionally, microorganisms were also used in ancient times to make bread. Researchers hypothesize that ancient Egyptians would leave their dough out on warm days, allowing naturally occurring yeast contaminants to ferment it[3]. These techniques, originally discovered by chance, continue to be used to this day.

Microbes have also played a crucial role in medicine, especially with the discovery of antibiotics. Sir Alexander Fleming accidentally left an inoculated Petri dish and observed that a fungus, Penicillium notatum, exhibited antimicrobial properties, preventing the growth of bacteria. This fungus led to the development of Penicillin, as we know it today[4]. Additionally, several bacteria have been found to produce compounds useful for synthesizing new drugs and chemicals. For instance, pharmaceutical companies use Escherichia coli to produce riboflavin and vitamin K, commonly used as nutritional supplements[5].

Looking at the bigger picture, microorganisms are more beneficial to us than they are harmful. While some can cause severe diseases, most are used for our benefit. In this sense, some microbes may be considered foes, but many can be regarded as friends that improve our lives.

References

1. LaMorte, W. W. (4 May, 2016). Bacteria as Pathogens. Retrieved from https://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/mph-modules/ph/ph709_infectiousagents/PH709_InfectiousAgents4.html
2. American Society for Microbiology (2015). FAQ: Microbes Make the Cheese, Report on an American Academy of Microbiology Colloquium held in Washington, DC, in June 2014. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562892/
3. Frazer, J. (6 September 2013). Yeast: Making Food Great for 5,000 Years. But What Exactly Is it? Retrieved from https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/artful-amoeba/yeast-making-food-great-for-5000-years-but-what-exactly-is-it/
4. Gaynes, R. (23 May, 2017). The Discovery of Penicillin – New Insights After More Than 75 Years of Clinical Use. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 23(5), 849-853. doi: 10.3201/eid2305.161556
5. Abbas, A., Muhammad, I., Khan, S., Hassan, A., Khan, S., Javed, R., Ali, S. (23 June, 2021). Microbes: Role in Industries, Medical Field and Impact on Health. Saudi Journal of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 7(6), 278-282. DOI: 10.36348/sjmps.2021.v07i06.010

Date of Input: 29/10/2024 | Updated: 29/10/2024 | azah