Combating biofilms of foodborne pathogens with bacteriocins by lactic acid bacteria in the food industry

Abstract

Most foodborne pathogens have biofilm‐forming capacity and prefer to grow in the form of biofilms. Presence of biofilms on food contact surfaces can lead to persistence of pathogens and the recurrent cross‐contamination of food products, resulting in serious problems associated with food safety and economic losses. Resistance of biofilm cells to conventional sanitizers urges the development of natural alternatives to effectively inhibit biofilm formation and eradicate preformed biofilms. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) produce bacteriocins which are ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides, providing a great source of nature antimicrobials with the advantages of green and safe properties. Studies on biofilm control by newly identified bacteriocins are increasing, targeting primarily onListeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli. This review systematically complies and assesses the antibiofilm property of LAB bacteriocins in controlling foodborne bacterial‐biofilms on food contact surfaces. The bacteriocin‐producing LAB genera/species, test method (inhibition and eradication), activity spectrum and surfaces are discussed, and the antibiofilm mechanisms are also argued. The findings indicate that bacteriocins can effectively inhibit biofilm formation in a dose‐dependent manner, but are difficult to disrupt preformed biofilms. Synergistic combination with other antimicrobials, incorporation in nanoconjugates and implementation of bioengineering can help to strengthen their antibiofilm activity. This review provides an overview of the potential and application of LAB bacteriocins in combating bacterial biofilms in food processing environments, assisting in the development and widespread use of bacteriocin as a promising antibiofilm‐agent in food industries.

Characterization of the Biofilms Formed by Histamine-Producing Lentilactobacillus parabuchneri Strains in the Dairy Environment

“…Biofilms provide a protective structure for bacteria, allowing them to grow in hostile environments [ 1 , 6 ]. Since they can form on both living and nonliving surfaces they can cause serious problems for different industries, leading to reduced product quality and economic losses [ 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Bacteria growing in biofilms are more resistant to stress factors, such as temperature, pH and disinfectants, than are their planktonic counterparts [ 10 ].…”

“…Foodborne diseases remain a major threat to public health and the economy. Indeed, food intoxication is among the most important causes of mortality and morbidity [ 15 ], with approximately 42,000 deaths and 600 million cases of illness each year [ 8 , 16 ]. The great majority of problems are of bacterial origin, with contamination of food during manufacturing and preconsumption storage, the usual routes of bacterial entry.…”

Exploring Possible Ways to Enhance the Potential and Use of Natural Products through Nanotechnology in the Battle against Biofilms of Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens

“…The potential of natural products and phytocompounds against bacterial pathogens’ biofilm formation and eradicating preformed biofilms has been well studied. Several phytocompounds and other natural products with their exact mechanism of action against bacterial biofilm, especially foodborne pathogens, were recently reviewed in detail by others [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. However, using natural products has limitations, like stability and bioavailability, when it comes to their application [ 13 ].…”

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum-Derived Biosurfactant Attenuates Quorum Sensing-Mediated Virulence and Biofilm Formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Chromobacterium violaceum

“…Diverse vital metabolites are produced by LAB, including hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, lactic acid, bacteriocin, and biosurfactants, which provide protection and have antagonistic effects [ 11 , 12 ]. The ability of a few LAB to produce biosurfactants and their various applications, such as in the inhibition of microbial adhesion, desorption activity, and biofilm inhibition on a variety of surfaces, such as polypropylene, rubber, silicone, and different medical devices/instruments and implants, has been reported in a number of studies [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Recently, we reported that a few LAB strains can efficiently produce biosurfactants, and demonstrated the antibacterial and antibiofilm potential of a biosurfactant produced from LAB [ 22 , 23 ].…”