4-6 |
Biological treatments to control pathogens in muscle foods |
S. RAVISHANKAR, National Center for Food Safety & Technology, Illinois Institute of Technology, 6502 S. Archer Rd., Summit-Argo, IL 60501 The use of biological interventions to control food borne pathogens is gaining popularity and attention due to several reasons. There are consumer concerns over the safety of synthetic or chemical interventions and development of resistance among bacteria arising from the use of these chemical interventions. Also, there is an increased awareness among consumers about health and diet, and risks arising from use of chemical preservatives. The compounds used in biological interventions are considered ‘natural' by the consumers and can be categorized into three types depending on the source: those derived from microorganisms, plants and animals. Those derived from microorganisms, called bacto-antimicrobials, include bacteriocins produced by lactics and other bacteria, volatile short chain fatty acids and other compounds such as hydrogen peroxide, diacetyl etc. produced by probiotics, killer toxins produced by some yeasts, and bacteriophages. Those derived from plants called phyto-antimicrobials include herb and spice extracts, and plant essential oils such as eugenol, thymol, carvacrol etc., and others belonging to the group of compounds such as catechins, glucosinolates, flavonoids, saponin and thiosulfinates. The animal-derived ones can be mainly grouped into two: those found in eggs such as lysozyme, avidin and conalbumin, and those found in milk such as lactoferrin, lactoferricin, lactoglobulins and the lactoperoxidase system. Researchers have investigated the antimicrobial activities of many of these compounds. Each of these are found to have a specific inhibitory spectrum against a variety of microorganisms. The antimicrobial activities of some of these bio-derived compounds will be discussed.
Session 4, Recent developments in post harvest intervention technologies to control microbial pathogens in muscle foods
|