Overview on applications for bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria and their bacteriocins

• Published in: Antonie van Leeuwenhoek Vol. 76; no. 1-4; p. 335
• Main Author: Luchansky, John B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Springer Nature B.V 01.11.1999
• Subjects: Animal Feed; Animals; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections - epidemiology; Bacterial Infections - mortality; Bacterial Infections - transmission; Bacteriocins - biosynthesis; Bacteriocins - therapeutic use; Europe; Europe - epidemiology; Food Microbiology; Gram-Positive Bacteria - physiology; Humans; Lactic Acid - metabolism; United States - epidemiology; United States; Europe; USA
• ISSN: 0003-6072; 1572-9699
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1002094723628

Improvements in the production, manufacture, and/or storage of foods by both the food industry and the consumer have significantly diminished, but not eliminated, the likelihood of food-related illness and product spoilage. Several highly publicized and very costly outbreaks and recalls due to contamination of foods with pathogenic bacteria have resulted in greater awareness of food safety for consumers, producers, processors, and regulators. In the United States alone, food borne illness is responsible for about 9,000 deaths each year, with yearly incidences ranging from 24 to 81 million cases and yearly costs ranging from about $5 to $25 billion. In Europe, morbidity from food borne illness is second only to respiratory diseases, with estimates of 50,000 to 300,000 cases of acute gastro-enteritis per million population per year. Coupled with an enhanced awareness of food safety, more interest and research has also been directed toward developing alternatives to antibiotics in animal feeds, particularly throughout Europe. As an alternative to antibiotics, information about the contributions of the LAB to animal health and feed safety are the subject of much debate due, in part, to a paucity of scientifically-controlled studies, particularly studies evaluating their performance in feeds. For these reasons, there remains a critical need to develop, implement, and optimize strategies to better control undesirable microbes in foods both pre- and post-harvest, as well as in animals targeted for human consumption.