Bacteriocins and their Food Applications

Over the last 2 decades, a variety of bacteriocins, produced by bacteria that kill or inhibit the growth of other bacteria, have been identified and characterized biochemically and genetically. This review article focuses on the ecology of bacteriocins, determination of bacteriocin activity, biosynthesis of bacteriocins, and mode of action. Bacteriocin production and modeling are discussed in the article. Nisin is discussed in some detail in this article since it is currently the only purified bacteriocin approved for food use in the U.S. and has been successfully used for several decades as a food preservative in more than 50 countries. For activity spectra and food applications, the review article focuses primarily on class I and class IIa bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) given their development as food preservatives.     

乳酸菌细菌素抑菌特性及在食品中的应用研究进展

乳酸菌细菌素是细菌在核糖体上合成的具有抗菌活性的多肽类物质,这些细菌素能杀灭或抑制引起食品腐败的细菌的繁殖,可作为天然的食品防腐剂在食品中应用。该文综述了乳酸菌细菌素的分类、国内外研究现状、抑菌特性及应用等方面的最新研究进展,并对乳酸菌细菌素未来研究趋势进行简要分析,对乳酸菌细菌素在食品中的应用有一定参考价值。     

Bacteriocins of lactic acid bacteria: Their potentials as food biopreservative

Abstract

Numerous strains of lactic acid bacteria used in the fermentation of foods are known to produce bacteriocins. In general, bacteriocins are a group of proteinaceous antimicrobial substances that inhibit the growth of closely related bacteria. However, some bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) exhibit a relatively broad antimicrobial spectrum and are active against several food‐spoilage and health‐threatening microorganisms. Many investigators have reported on the use of bacteriocins as food preservative to extend the shelflife of various foods. This review decribes the research that has been conducted on bacteriocinogenic lactic acid bacteria— isolated from a wide variety of foods and in some instances of animal origin—and the characteristics of bacteriocins. Special emphasis is placed on their potentials for use as food preservative and on their physicochemical nature, antibacterial spectrum, and genetic behavior.     

Current Applications and Future Trends of Lactic Acid Bacteria and their Bacteriocins for the Biopreservation of Aquatic Food Products

This review emphasizes the importance of novel biopreservation strategies and their application to ensure seafood quality and safety especially within the context of increasing demand for minimally processed aquatic food products. The paper addresses the major hazards linked to spoilage and pathogenic bacteria found in fresh and processed aquatic foods, mainly ready-to-eat seafood subjected to short-term storage, and the biological strategies that can be used to minimize their growth. This is followed by an overview of current knowledge about the inhibiting bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria isolated from aquatic food products or that is being evaluated for ensuring safety on seafood and seafood products as well as the characteristics of their bacteriocins. The different strategies for the biopreservation of aquatic food products, such as protective cultures or spray drying, and their current and future applications for the preservation of seafood products are also explored. Finally, novel antimicrobial active and intelligent packaging strategies based on antimicrobials film allowing controlled release of bacteriocins to refrigerated aquatic food products are also discussed.     

乳酸菌细菌素研究进展及其在水产养殖和加工中的应用

乳酸菌细菌素是一种由乳酸菌在核糖体内合成、具有抑菌活性的多肽或蛋白质。由于乳酸菌通常被认为是安全的微生物,因此由它产生的细菌素受到了广泛地关注。目前由于大部分乳酸菌细菌素抑菌机理研究还不够深入,在一定程度上限制了它的发展和应用。本文对现有乳酸菌细菌素研究成果进行总结,并对细菌素进行了系统分类,阐述了各类乳酸菌细菌素对革兰氏阳性菌的作用机理,最后介绍了乳酸菌细菌素在水产养殖、水产品加工贮藏过程中的应用,旨在为乳酸菌细菌素的应用提供新的探索和基础理论依据。     

Lactobacillus acidophilus: Characterization of the Species and Application in Food Production

L. acidophilus is a homofermentative, microaerophilic, short chain gram positive microorganism with rod morphology having its bacteriocins belonging to class II a. Several bacteriocins of L. acidophilus have been isolated and characterized. These are structurally similar, but their molecular weight varies as well as their spectrum of antimicrobial activity. They exhibit important technical properties, i.e., thermostability and retaining of activity at a wide pH range along with strong inhibitory actions against food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria make them an important class of biopreservatives. L. acidophilus can be added as an adjunct in many food fermentation processes contributing to unique taste, flavor, and texture. It also preserves the products by producing lactic acid and bacteriocins. A lot of new information regarding the bacteriocins of L. acidophilus has emerged during the last few years. In this review, an attempt has been made to summarize and discuss all the available information regarding the sources of bacteriocins production, their characteristics, and their antimicrobial action along with their application.     

Ⅱa类乳酸菌细菌素的异源表达研究进展

Ⅱa类乳酸菌细菌素由于其对单核细胞增生李斯特菌的强烈抑菌活性,已成为天然食品防腐剂研究与开发的热点。但是受生物合成调控系统控制,天然细菌素的产量往往很低而且提取过程较为复杂,很难满足相关研究和实际应用的需求。为此,许多研究者进行过Ⅱa类细菌素的异源表达研究,本文对该类细菌素在大肠杆菌、乳酸菌以及酵母菌中的异源表达研究作较为全面系统的综述,并指出目前存在的主要问题及今后的研究方向。     

Plantaricin bacteriocins: As safe alternative antimicrobial peptides in food preservation—A review

Many peptides are excreted by gram-positive (+) and gram-negative (−) bacteria, possessing antimicrobial properties, called bacteriocins. Common bacterial species produce bacteriocins are called lactic acid bacteria. Nowadays, plantaricins are natural antimicrobial peptides produced by Lactobacillus plantarum strains have obtained special attention. The L. plantarum and their bacteriocins have got great importance in different areas as food biopreservatives and/or starters in dairy products, meat products, and fish products also, were used for treating diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria that is, reducing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome disease (IBS) and decreasing the number of colonies of pathogenic bacteria in the wound-burning model in mice. Moreover, plantaricins have got a potent protective role against urinary tract infection (UTI). Although there are many studies on the types of bacteriocins and their purification and uses, such as Nisin and Pediocin, there have been no reports in the literature on the characterizations, production, and purification of plantaricins. The present review aims to describe plantaricins and some of their features and applications in general. Also mentioned are the most common methods of isolation and purification.     

Preservation and fermentation: past,present and future

Preservation of food and beverages resulting from fermentation has been an effective form of extending the shelf-life of foods for millennia. Traditionally, foods were preserved through naturally occurring fermentations, however, modern large scale production generally now exploits the use of defined strain starter systems to ensure consistency and quality in the final product. This review will mainly focus on the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) for food improvement, given their extensive application in a wide range of fermented foods. These microorganisms can produce a wide variety of antagonistic primary and secondary metabolites including organic acids, diacetyl, CO2 and even antibiotics such as reuterocyclin produced by Lactobacillus reuteri. In addition, members of the group can also produce a wide range of bacteriocins, some of which have activity against food pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and Clostridium botulinum. Indeed, the bacteriocin nisin has been used as an effective biopreservative in some dairy products for decades, while a number of more recently discovered bacteriocins, such as lacticin 3147, demonstrate increasing potential in a number of food applications. Both of these lactococcal bacteriocins belong to the lantibiotic family of posttranslationally modified bacteriocins that contain lanthionine, beta-methyllanthionine and dehydrated amino acids. The exploitation of such naturally produced antagonists holds tremendous potential for extension of shelf-life and improvement of safety of a variety of foods.     

Lactobacillus salivarius: Bacteriocin and probiotic activity

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) antimicrobial peptides typically exhibit antibacterial activity against food-borne pathogens, as well as spoilage bacteria. Therefore, they have attracted the greatest attention as tools for food biopreservation. In some countries LAB are already extensively used as probiotics in food processing and preservation. LAB derived bacteriocins have been utilized as oral, topical antibiotics or disinfectants. Lactobacillus salivarius is a promising probiotic candidate commonly isolated from human, porcine, and avian gastrointestinal tracts (GIT), many of which are producers of unmodified bacteriocins of sub-classes IIa, IIb and IId. It is a well-characterized bacteriocin producer and probiotic organism. Bacteriocins may facilitate the introduction of a producer into an established niche, directly inhibit the invasion of competing strains or pathogens, or modulate the composition of the microbiota and influence the host immune system. This review gives an up-to-date overview of all L. salivarius strains, isolated from different origins, known as bacteriocin producing and/or potential probiotic.     

Application of bacteriocins in vegetable food biopreservation

Bacteriocins are generally recognized as "natural" compounds able to influence the safety and quality of foods. In the past years, a lot of works have been aimed to the detection, purification and characterisation of bacteriocins, as well as to their use in food preservation strategies. A list of review articles dealing with the application of bacteriocins to the protection of foods of animal origin is also available in literature, but it lacks for a summary on the utilization of bacteriocins in vegetable foods. These biopreservatives can be used in a number of ways in food systems and this paper mainly focuses on the state-of-the-art application of bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to promote the microbial stability of both fermented and non-fermented vegetable food products using bacteriocinogenic strains as starter cultures, protective cultures or co-cultures and the employment of pure bacteriocins as food additives. In addition, applications of bacteriocins from non-LAB are also reviewed. The scopes of future directions of research are summarised.     

Bacteriocin-based strategies for food biopreservation

Bacteriocins are ribosomally-synthesized peptides or proteins with antimicrobial activity, produced by different groups of bacteria. Many lactic acid bacteria (LAB) produce bacteriocins with rather broad spectra of inhibition. Several LAB bacteriocins offer potential applications in food preservation, and the use of bacteriocins in the food industry can help to reduce the addition of chemical preservatives as well as the intensity of heat treatments, resulting in foods which are more naturally preserved and richer in organoleptic and nutritional properties. This can be an alternative to satisfy the increasing consumers demands for safe, fresh-tasting, ready-to-eat, minimally-processed foods and also to develop "novel" food products (e.g. less acidic, or with a lower salt content). In addition to the available commercial preparations of nisin and pediocin PA-1/AcH, other bacteriocins (like for example lacticin 3147, enterocin AS-48 or variacin) also offer promising perspectives. Broad-spectrum bacteriocins present potential wider uses, while narrow-spectrum bacteriocins can be used more specifically to selectively inhibit certain high-risk bacteria in foods like Listeria monocytogenes without affecting harmless microbiota. Bacteriocins can be added to foods in the form of concentrated preparations as food preservatives, shelf-life extenders, additives or ingredients, or they can be produced in situ by bacteriocinogenic starters, adjunct or protective cultures. Immobilized bacteriocins can also find application for development of bioactive food packaging. In recent years, application of bacteriocins as part of hurdle technology has gained great attention. Several bacteriocins show additive or synergistic effects when used in combination with other antimicrobial agents, including chemical preservatives, natural phenolic compounds, as well as other antimicrobial proteins. This, as well as the combined use of different bacteriocins may also be an attractive approach to avoid development of resistant strains. The combination of bacteriocins and physical treatments like high pressure processing or pulsed electric fields also offer good opportunities for more effective preservation of foods, providing an additional barrier to more refractile forms like bacterial endospores as well. The effectiveness of bacteriocins is often dictated by environmental factors like pH, temperature, food composition and structure, as well as the food microbiota. Foods must be considered as complex ecosystems in which microbial interactions may have a great influence on the microbial balance and proliferation of beneficial or harmful bacteria. Recent developments in molecular microbial ecology can help to better understand the global effects of bacteriocins in food ecosystems, and the study of bacterial genomes may reveal new sources of bacteriocins.     

FUNDAMENTALS AND PERSPECTIVES FOR THE USE OF BACTERIOCINS PRODUCED BY LACTIC ACID BACTERIA IN MEAT PRODUCTS

Bacteriocins of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are proteinaceous compounds that may present antimicrobial activity towards important foodborne pathogens and spoilage-related microflora. Due to these properties, bacteriocin-producing strains or purified bacteriocins have a great potential of use in biologically based food preservation systems. Despite the growing number of articles describing the isolation of bacteriocinogenic strains, genetic determinants for production, as well as the purification and biochemical characterization of these inhibitory substances, there are only limited reports of successful application of bacteriocins to meats.

This paper presents a critical review of the methods available for screening of bacteriocin-producing LAB strains from meats and also discusses the proposed mechanisms of action for LAB bacteriocins. Additionally, an overview of the Brazilian experience in the application of LAB bacteriocins to meats and meat products is given.     

FUNDAMENTALS AND PERSPECTIVES FOR THE USE OF BACTERIOCINS PRODUCED BY LACTIC ACID BACTERIA IN MEAT PRODUCTS

Bacteriocins of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are proteinaceous compounds that may present antimicrobial activity towards important foodborne pathogens and spoilage-related microflora. Due to these properties, bacteriocin-producing strains or purified bacteriocins have a great potential of use in biologically based food preservation systems. Despite the growing number of articles describing the isolation of bacteriocinogenic strains, genetic determinants for production, as well as the purification and biochemical characterization of these inhibitory substances, there are only limited reports of successful application of bacteriocins to meats.

This paper presents a critical review of the methods available for screening of bacteriocin-producing LAB strains from meats and also discusses the proposed mechanisms of action for LAB bacteriocins. Additionally, an overview of the Brazilian experience in the application of LAB bacteriocins to meats and meat products is given.     

Development of Wide-Spectrum Hybrid Bacteriocins for Food Biopreservation

The food industry demands new procedures and methods to produce minimally processed, ready to eat food with intact nutritional, taste, and flavor properties. The biopreservation and the use of both bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bacteriocinogenic strains as an alternative to substitute chemical antimicrobial for food preservation became increasingly important in the last two decades. When the new proposed natural preservatives techniques are applied, probiotics food can be obtained and, simultaneously, foodborne pathogens and spoilage contaminants can diminish. However, bacteriocins produced by LAB have a narrow antibacterial spectrum and are inactive against Gram-negative bacteria like Salmonella and the emergent enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. Knowing the mechanism of action and the structural features of microcins synthesized by Gram-negative bacteria and with potent antimicrobial activity against the mentioned microorganism, the proposal is to obtain hybrid peptides (microcin–bacteriocin) with broad antimicrobial spectrum. This review explains how the inability of bacteriocins to cross the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria unable them to act on the bacteria. It will also be discussed how a hybrid bacteriocin can be obtained.     

群体感应系统在乳酸菌产细菌素中的作用

许多乳酸菌能够产生抗菌活性肽——细菌素,细菌素具有不同的结构、作用方式、抑菌谱和效价,通常认为乳酸菌和其所产的细菌素都是安全的,乳酸菌所产细菌素作为天然食品防腐剂已显示了巨大的潜能。基于群体感应的细胞间交流已成为细菌素合成的关键调控机制,群体感应作为细胞密度函数,可使细菌素产生保持同步性。群体感应需通过信号分子介导感知菌体密度,信号分子随着菌体密度增加而增加,并激活信号转导级联使菌体产生细菌素。本文通过对乳酸菌群体感应信号分子种类、信号转导机制及群体感应系统对两类细菌素合成的调控进行综述,以初步了解群体感应系统在乳酸菌产细菌素过程中的作用机制。     

提高乳酸菌细菌素合成量方法的研究进展

细菌素是某些细菌通过核糖体合成机制产生的蛋白质或多肽,能够抑制与其亲源关系相同或相近的微生物,某些细菌素在食品加工和发酵过程中能抑制致病菌和腐败菌。乳酸菌被认为是一般公认安全,其细菌素具有安全性高、稳定性好、抑菌谱广等优点,作为一种新型食品防腐剂备受关注,但商品化的乳酸菌细菌素十分有限,仅限于Nisin和Pediocin PA-1等少数几种,合成量低是细菌素在食品中应用受限的主要原因之一。从不同原料中筛选高产菌株、发酵培养基和发酵条件优化、诱变育种、原生质体融合、基因工程方法、群体感应系统调控六个方面,论述了增加乳酸菌细菌素合成量的方法,以期为实现乳酸菌细菌素的工业化生产提供一定的借鉴。     

抗真菌性乳酸菌生物保护剂的研究进展

霉菌和酵母不仅引起果蔬、谷类、乳制品和肉制品等食品及农产品腐败变质,造成巨大的经济损失,而且霉菌还产生有害于人体健康的黄曲霉毒素、伏马菌素、单端孢霉烯、赭曲霉素A和棒曲霉素等真菌毒素,给食用者带来潜在的食品安全隐患。随着消费者对鲜活和微加工食品的需求不断增加,化学防腐剂在食品中应用受到限制,食品生物保护剂研究及应用已成为热点。乳酸菌通过生态位竞争、形成酸性环境和产生各种代谢产物对致病菌和腐败微生物具有较强的拮抗作用,作为一新型生物保护剂已广泛应用于各种食品中。本文对食品中抗真菌性乳酸菌的筛选和应用、乳酸菌产生的抗真菌代谢产物以及发展趋势进行综述,为进一步探究乳酸菌抗菌机理,研发高效食品生物保护剂提供借鉴与参考。     

Bacteriocins: safe, natural antimicrobials for food preservation.

Bacteriocins are antibacterial proteins produced by bacteria that kill or inhibit the growth of other bacteria. Many lactic acid bacteria (LAB) produce a high diversity of different bacteriocins. Though these bacteriocins are produced by LAB found in numerous fermented and non-fermented foods, nisin is currently the only bacteriocin widely used as a food preservative. Many bacteriocins have been characterized biochemically and genetically, and though there is a basic understanding of their structure-function, biosynthesis, and mode of action, many aspects of these compounds are still unknown. This article gives an overview of bacteriocin applications, and differentiates bacteriocins from antibiotics. A comparison of the synthesis. mode of action, resistance and safety of the two types of molecules is covered. Toxicity data exist for only a few bacteriocins, but research and their long-time intentional use strongly suggest that bacteriocins can be safely used.     

Heterologous production of bacteriocins by lactic acid bacteria

Over the last two decades, bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been the subject of considerable research and industrial interest due to their potential as food biopreservatives. The development of heterologous expression systems for such antimicrobial compounds may offer a number of advantages over native systems, such as facilitating the control of bacteriocin gene expression or achieving higher production levels. In addition, the heterologous production by food-grade LAB offers an attractive method for overcoming some of the adverse situations that may affect the effectiveness of some bacteriocins in food systems. Construction of multibacteriocinogenic strains or acquisition of antimicrobial properties by industrial strains are further objectives that can be achieved through the use of heterologous gene expression systems. The development of new biotechnological tools and recent advances in LAB genetics account for the escalating number of studies dealing with heterologous production of bacteriocins by such hosts. This paper reviews the literature published on the subject and compares the different experimental strategies that have been used up to the present for this purpose.