Biocides as Biomedicines against Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria

Abstract

Biocides are currently considered the first line of defense against foodborne pathogens in hospitals or food processing facilities due to the versatility and efficiency of their chemical active ingredients. Understanding the biological mechanisms responsible for their increased efficiency, especially when used against foodborne pathogens on contaminated surfaces and materials, represents an essential first step in the implementation of efficient strategies for disinfection as choosing an unsuitable product can lead to antibiocide resistance or antibiotic–biocide cross-resistance. This review describes these biological mechanisms for the most common foodborne pathogens and focuses mainly on the antipathogen effect, highlighting the latest developments based on in vitro and in vivo studies. We focus on biocides with inhibitory effects against foodborne bacteria (e.g., Escherichia spp., Klebsiella spp., Staphylococcus spp., Listeria spp., Campylobacter spp.), aiming to understand their biological mechanisms of action by looking at the most recent scientific evidence in the field.

Antimicrobial and biocide resistance in Staphylococcus aureus: genomic features, decontamination strategies, and the role of S. aureus complex-related species, with a focus on ready-to-eat food and food-contact surfaces

“…Traditionally, various cleaning agents and biocides such as quaternary ammonium compounds, sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) and other chlorine-based compounds, sodium hydroxide (NaOH), nitric acid (HNO 3 ), anionic acids, and iodophors (Martin et al, 2016) are used in the food sector for surface decontamination. However, beyond the issue related to the onset of the genetic resistance to the utilized biocides (Butucel et al, 2022), their effectiveness is actually hampered by the reduced penetrability of these agents toward biofilm due to its peculiar structure that protects the embedded cells (Idrees et al, 2021).…”

A Bifunctional Spray Coating Reduces Contamination on Surfaces by Repelling and Killing Pathogens

“…17 In addition to engineered surfaces that passively reduce pathogenic contamination, active surface coatings have been recently developed that contain biocidal compounds that kill or deactivate adhered pathogens. 18 These coatings consist of synthetic or natural biocides such as essential oils, 19 photoactive materials such as TiO 2 nanoparticles, 20 quaternary ammonium compounds such as benzalkonium chloride, 21 aldehydes such as formaldehyde, phenols such as carbolic acid, bisphenols such as triclosan, 18 halogens such as hypochlorite, 22 peroxides such as peroxyacetic acid, 23 organic acids such as citric acids, 24 metal oxides such as zinc oxide or iron oxide, 25 or metallic nanoparticles such as gold, silver, and copper. 26 Although promising, neither of the above-mentioned strategies, used individually, offer the fast-acting and sustained antimicrobial effects that are desired for an advanced coating.…”

Customizing Sanitization Protocols for Food-Borne Pathogens Based on Biofilm Formation, Surfaces and Disinfectants—Their Two- and Three-Way Interactions

“…Food-borne pathogens are a constant threat to human health [1][2][3]. Just one example of the global threat to human health is Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7 that affects hundreds of thousands of patients every year, many of which are hospitalized and may have life-threatening complications [4].…”