A. Introduction and Overview -- 1. The Microbiological Safety of Spices and Low Water Activity Foods: Correcting Historic Misassumptions.-2. Challenges in the Control of Foodborne Pathogens in Low-Water Activity Foods and Spices -- B. Pathogen Persistence and Control in Low aw Foods and Processing Plants -- 3. Adaptation of Pathogenic Microorganisms to Dry Conditions -- 4. Transcriptomic Responses of Salmonella Species to Desiccation and Low-Moisture Environments: Extending Our Knowledge of How Bacteria Cope with Low-Moisture Stress -- 5. Processing Plant Investigations: Practical Approaches to Determining Sources of Persistent Bacterial Strains in the Industrial Food Processing Environment -- 6. Dry Cleaning, Wet Cleaning and Alternatives to Processing Plant Hygiene and Sanitation -- C. Low aw Food Commodities of Interest -- 7. Spices -- 8. Dried Dairy-Based Products -- 9. Low Water Activity Meat Products -- 10. Dried, Ready-to-Eat Cereal Products -- 11. Powdered Infant Formula -- 12. Nuts and Nut Pastes -- 13. Flour and Meal -- 14. Chocolate and Confectionary -- 15. Salty Snack Foods -- 16. Pet Foods -- 17. Dried Teas and Herbs -- D. Product Testing -- 18. Regulatory Testing Guidelines and Recommendations -- 19. Methodological and Sampling Challenges to Testing Spices and Low aw Foods for the Presence of Foodborne Pathogens -- E. Low aw Food Decontamination -- 20. Irradiation, Microwave and Alternative Energy-Based Treatments for Low Water Activity -- 21. Heat and Steam Treatments -- F. Research Needs -- 22. Research Gaps and Needs Pertaining to Microbial Pathogens in Spices and Low aw Foods.