LAUSR

The purpose of this research was to develop an alternative approach to construct a primary model to describe microbial growth. This method was based on the use of the Central Limit Theorem to provide a link between the physiological state of individual cells and the specific growth rate of the population. The resulting model included two parameters that are not usually found in classical models: a logarithmic inflection point, which is related to the exponential phase duration, and a new parameter, alpha, ranging from 0 to 1, which can provide a quantitative measurement of the physiological state of the cells. Once the model was constructed, it was applied to both isothermal and non-isothermal growth of Pseudomonas spp. in fish meat and compared to other models commonly used in the literature. The results showed that the model accurately matched the experimental data and that detailed knowledge of this new parameter can provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms that affect bacterial growth.