Microbial antagonists to food-borne pathogens and biocontrol

Non-Conventional Tools to Preserve and Prolong the Quality of Minimally-Processed Fruits and Vegetables

“…In recent years, biological preservation has emerged as a promising strategy to extend the shelf-life and to improve the microbiological safety of foods [97], since it fits well with the diffuse desire to preserve foods by natural means. Several bacteria and yeasts have been already identified as bioprotective agents [98], and different studies have been carried out on their application to fresh-cut fruits and vegetables [99].…”

“…The success of LAB in preventing the growth and activity of undesirable microorganisms is due to a large diversity of mechanisms of action related to the production of antimicrobial compounds, organic acids, hydrogen peroxide, bacteriocins and diacetyl [103,104,115]. The combination of low pH values and antibacterial activities of organic molecules produced by LAB remains the main mechanism for biopreservation [97]. Several bacteriocin-producing LAB have been shown to be effective against spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms in minimally-processed fruits and vegetables [116,117].…”

Lactic Acid Bacteria and Their Bacteriocins: A Promising Approach to Seafood Biopreservation

“…Besides concern about antibiotic resistance, increasing consumer awareness of potential health risks associated with chemical preservatives has increased interest in bacteriocins. Bacteriocins are naturally produced so they are more easily accepted by consumers [54]. Bacteriocins are usually classified combining various criteria.…”

“…To harmonize consumer demands with the necessary safety standards, traditional means of controlling microbial spoilage and safety hazards in seafood are being replaced by an alternative solution that is gaining more and more attention: "biopreservation technology" [2,9,13,52,53]. It consists in inoculating food with microorganisms, or their metabolites, selected for their antibacterial properties and may be an efficient way of extending shelf life and food safety through the inhibition of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria without altering the nutritional quality of raw materials and food products [54,55].…”

Antimicrobial antagonists against food pathogens: a bacteriocin perspective

“…Bacteriocins are active against a number of genera (broad spectrum) or particular species (narrow spectrum) [1][2][3] and are very diverse, varying in size, structure and specificity. The fact that many bacteriocins are produced by food-grade LAB and possess potent antimicrobial activity means that they are ideally suited to controlling food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria [4][5][6]. Bacteriocins can be broadly divided into two classes: class I, of which the lantibiotics (posttranslationally modified peptides containing unusual amino acids) are the best-known example and class II, containing unmodified peptides [7].…”