Biopreservation, an ecological approach to improve the safety and shelf-life of foods

Biopreservation, defined as the extension of shelf life and enhanced safety of foods by the use of natural or controlled microbiota and/or antimicrobial compounds, is an innocuous and ecological approach to the problem of food preservation and has gained increasing attention in recent years. Consequently, certain lactic acid bacteria (LAB), with demonstrated antimicrobial properties commonly associated with foods, are being assayed to increase the safety and/or prolong the shelf life of foods. The antagonistic properties of LAB derive from competition for nutrients and the production of one or more antimicrobial active metabolites such as organic acids (lactic and acetic), hydrogen peroxide, and antimicrobial peptides (bacteriocins). Nowadays the use of LAB bacteriocins is considered an integral part of hurdle technology. Their combined use allows most pathogenic and spoilage bacteria to be controlled and also extend their inhibitory activity spectrum to such intrinsically resistant organisms as the Gram-negative bacteria.