Agglutination

The clumping together of cells — such as bacteria — through cross-linking by proteins like antibodies. The reaction is exploited in immunological techniques for detecting bacteria in foods: a drop of antiserum mixed with a suspect culture clumps within seconds when the target pathogen is present. In food processing, however, agglutination of starter cultures — for instance in certain cheese varieties — can damage the process outcome by disrupting normal culture behaviour. The same phenomenon is thus a diagnostic tool in the laboratory and a potential defect on the production line.