Nanotechnological interventions in bacteriocin formulations – advances, and scope for challenging food spoilage bacteria and drug-resistant foodborne pathogens

Abstract

Food spoilage bacteria (FSB) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) foodborne pathogens have emerged as one of the principal public health concerns in the twenty first century. The harmful effects of FSB lead to economic losses for the food industries. Similarly, MDR foodborne pathogens are accountable for multiple illnesses and pose a threat to consumers. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish effective formulations for successful application against such microorganisms. In this context, the fusion of knowledge from biotechnology and nanotechnology can explore endless possibilities in the development of innovative formulations against FSB and foodborne pathogens. The current review critically examines the application of bacteriocins in the food industry and the use of nanomaterials to enhance the antimicrobial activity, stability, and precision in the target delivery of bacteriocins. This review also explores the technologies involved in the development of bacteriocin-based nanoformulations and their action against FSB and MDR foodborne pathogens, offering new possibilities in preservation technologies and addressing food safety issues in the food industry. The review highlights the challenges in the commercialization and technoeconomical feasibility of nanobacteriocin. Overall, it provides essential information and interpretation about nanotechnological advancements in bacteriocin formulation action against FSB and foodborne pathogens and future scopes.

Keywords:

• bacteriocin
• food spoilage bacteria
• foodborne pathogens
• food preservation
• nanocarrier
• nanoformulations
• technoeconomical feasibility

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.