Antibacterial Use of Macroalgae Compounds against Foodborne Pathogens

Abstract

The search for food resources is a constant in human history. Nowadays, the search for natural and safe food supplies is of foremost importance. Accordingly, there is a renewed interest in eco-friendly and natural products for substitution of synthetic additives. In addition, microbial contamination of food products during their obtaining and distribution processes is still a sanitary issue, and an important target for the food industry is to avoid food contamination and its related foodborne illnesses. These diseases are fundamentally caused by certain microorganisms listed in this review and classified according to their Gram negative or positive character. Algae have proven to possess high nutritional value and a wide variety of biological properties due to their content in active compounds. Among these capabilities, macroalgae are recognized for having antimicrobial properties. Thus, the present paper revises the actual knowledge of microbial contaminants in the food industry and proposes antimicrobial algal compounds against those pathogenic bacteria responsible for food contamination as valuable molecules for its growth inhibition. The capacity of algae extracts to inhibit some major food pathogen growth was assessed. Moreover, the main applications of these compounds in the food industry were discussed while considering their favorable effects in terms of food safety and quality control.

Alimentary and Pharmaceutical Approach to Natural Antimicrobials against Clostridioides difficile Gastrointestinal Infection

“…The increasing pharmaceutical application of marine algae bioactives is mainly based on their demonstrated antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancerigen properties. Moreover, food and nutraceutical supplements based on raw or purified algae compounds are being developed [ 67 , 68 , 69 ].…”

“…Algae compounds have shown antibacterial potential against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms [ 36 , 69 ]. The antimicrobial potential of algae materials is based on the (i) type and algae matrix source (e.g., different algae taxonomic groups, culture conditions, seasonal harvest, and accumulation of bioactives), (ii) structural chemical diversity of compounds, (iii) molecular weight of compounds, (iv) type of extraction and purification methods employed, and (v) modification and way of administration [ 23 , 54 ].…”

“…The antimicrobial potential of algae materials is based on the (i) type and algae matrix source (e.g., different algae taxonomic groups, culture conditions, seasonal harvest, and accumulation of bioactives), (ii) structural chemical diversity of compounds, (iii) molecular weight of compounds, (iv) type of extraction and purification methods employed, and (v) modification and way of administration [ 23 , 54 ]. Among the most relevant antimicrobial bioactives from macro- and microalgae are phlorotannins, laminarin, sargafuran, peyssonoic acid, bromophycolides, neurymenolides, acetylmajapolene, phycobiliproteins, scytonemines, carotenoids, polysaccharides, phytohormones, cyanotoxins, phytol, fucosterol, neophytadiene, palmitic, palmitoleic, and oleic acids [ 36 , 37 , 63 , 67 , 69 ].…”

“…The most promising antimicrobial potential has been found in brown algae, namely Phaeophyceae (84% of species with demonstrated antimicrobial capability), followed by Rhodophyceae (67%) and Chlorophyceae (44%) [ 62 ]. Regarding microalgae, Spirulina platensis and Chlorella vulgaris are nowadays the most studied algae substrates in terms of their antibacterial/antiviral capacity [ 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 ].…”

“…Among the studied bacteria, some of the Gram-positive bacteria that are sensitive to algae compounds are strains of Bacillus subtilis , Bacillus cereus , Staphylococcus aureus , Enterococcus faecalis , and Micrococcus luteus , while the Gram-negative bacteria include Klebsiella pneumoniae , Serratia marcescens , Escherichia coli , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Salmonella Typhimurium, and Vibrio cholerae . Clinical human pathogens, such as P. aeruginosa , E. coli , S. aureus , E. faecalis , group B Streptococcus (GBS), and Proteus mirabilis , are among pathogens that most frequently affect hospitalized patients, and all of them have demonstrated sensitivity to exposure to natural compounds from marine algae sources [ 36 , 37 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 ]. Five microalgae cultures ( Chlorella minutissima, Tetraselmis chui, Nannochloropsis sp., Arthrospira platensis , and Isochrysis sp.)…”