Advances and Future Prospects of Enzyme‐Based Biofilm Prevention Approaches in the Food Industry

Abstract

Food poisoning and foodborne diseases are a growing public health concern worldwide. Approximately 30 known and many unknown pathogens are the main culprits for these conditions. Biofilms are a heterogeneous living‐form of pathogens and are considered a safe haven for their pathogenicity. In the field of food processing, the persistence of biofilms results in an increased likelihood of food contamination, which ultimately compromises overall food quality and safety. Because of the robust heterogeneity and resistant phenotypic nature of biofilms, the impairment of biofilms is very challenging when using conventional cleaning agents/antibiotics. Therefore, the development of alternative approaches is of great interest to the food industry. Recently, many researchers have found that use of enzymes can provide an exciting and effective therapeutic approach for solving biofilm‐associated problems in the food industry, because enzymes are involved in almost every stage of biofilm detachment and degradation. Here, we describe biofilm‐associated problems in the food industry and recent advances in enzyme‐based biofilm impairment strategies. We also highlight major limitations, challenges, and possible prospects of enzyme‐based biofilm‐targeting technologies.

Removal of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Cronobacter sakazakii biofilms from food contact surfaces through enzymatic catalysis

“…Enzymatic activity is dependent on pH and is sensitive to temperature, so this can limit its large scale application (Allie, Jacobs, Maartens, & Swart, 2003). In fact, temperature, pH, and exposure time are some of the important environmental factors that interfere with the activity and specificity of enzymes (Nahar et al, 2018). Furthermore, each enzyme requires an optimum temperature to exhibit their maximum activity and if there is a combination of enzymes it is important to establish the temperature that is closest to the optimal activity of each enzyme employed (Haki & Rakshit, 2003).…”

“…These results agree with a similar study by Molobela et al (2010), who observed that enzymatic treat- in contrast to some chemical disinfectants, the antibacterial effects of enzymes employed as cleaning agents is perceptible within minutes of exposure. This matter, however, is under discussion (Nahar et al, 2018) and is a further reason for continuing to research in this area.…”

“…Last, as other authors have highlighted, it is important to take into account the fact that enzymes do not play a role in eliminating the pathogen since they do not kill microorganisms but only eliminate the refuge that protects them. There is a strong possibility that biofilm restoration by pathogens may occur in the same place or on nearby surfaces that are in contact with food, leading to the contamination of food products (Nahar et al, 2018). Hence, disaggregation and destabilization of the structure is obtained when the enzymatic treatment is applied, which subsequently facilitates disinfection since the disinfectant product does not encounter a matrix that prevents its penetration.…”

“…Nonetheless, further research into the role that extracellular matrices play in biofilms and the continued search for novel enzymes and formulations are essential to improve biofilm eradication in food industry sanitation programs. One of the greatest obstacles to enzymatic treatments applied to food industry surfaces is the decomposition of various components of the environmental biofilm matrix, which may even cause an opposite reaction, increasing both virulence, and biofilm formation when the cleaning is not effective (Nahar, Mizan, Ha, & Do Ha, 2018). Hence, the development of new cleaning products is a current gap in the food industry.…”

Biocatalysis in the winemaking industry: Challenges and opportunities for immobilized enzymes

“…Despite that lysozyme has been immobilized in several support materials for microbial control (Bosio, Islan, Martínez, Durán, & Castro, 2016;Nahar, Mizan, Ha, & Ha, 2018), reports on immobilized lysozyme referred to its application in wine stabilization are few. Immobilization by covalent attachment to solid supports has been the preferred strategy, as in the case of other enzymes used in winemaking.…”