Natural antimicrobials in food safety and quality

The demands of producing high quality, safe (pathogen-free) food rely increasingly on natural sources of antimicrobials to inhibit food spoilage organisms and foodborne pathogens and toxins. Discovery and development of new antimicrobials from natural sources for a wide range of applications requires that knowledge of traditional sources for food antimicrobials is combined with the latest technologies in identification, characterization and application.

This book explores some novel, natural sources of antimicrobials as well as the latest developments in using well-known antimicrobials in food. Covering antimicrobials derived from microbial sources (bacteriophages, bacteria, algae, fungi), animal-derived products (milk proteins, chitosan, reduction of biogenic amines), plants and plant-products (essential oils, phytochemicals, bioactive compounds), this book covers the development and use of natural antimicrobials for processed and fresh food products. New and emerging technologies concerning antimicrobials are also discussed.

1. Naturally occurring Biocides in the food industry. 2. Bacteriophages and phage-encoded proteins: prospects in food quality and safety. 3. A survey of antimicrobial activity in lactic acid bacteria of different origin. 4. Bacteriocins for Bioprotection of Foods. 5. Bacterial antimicrobial peptides and food preservation. 6. Microbial fermentation for Food preservation. 7. Antimicrobial compounds from Algae for food safety. 8. Antimicrobial secondary metabolites from Fungi for food safety. 9. Antimicrobial films and coatings from milk proteins. 10. Antimicrobial and preservative effects of chitosan in food. 11. Reduction of biogenic amine levels in meat and meat products. 12. Biogenic amines in wine and vinegar: Role of starter culture in its inhibition. 13. Natural inhibitors of food-borne fungi from plants and microorganisms. 14. Application of plant based antimicrobials in food preservation. 15. Essential oils and their components for the control of phytopathogenic fungi that affect plant health and agri-food quality and safety. 16. Fruit postharvest disease control by plant bioactive compounds. 17. Antimicrobials from wild edible plants of Nigeria. 18. Natural antimicrobials compounds to preserve quality and assure safety of fresh horticultural produce. 19. Biological approach for control of human pathogens on produce. 20. Antimicrobial and other biological effects of garcinia plants used in food and herbal medicine. 21. Predictive modelling of antimicrobial effects of Natural aromatic compounds in model and food systems. 22. Database mining for bacteriocin discovery.