Natural antifungal agents for food preservation

Authors

Food Quality Control Program (FQCP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University.

Abstract

The increasing societal demand for less processed and more natural food products—while conserving those products’ quality, safety, and shelf-life—has raised the question of chemical preservative replacement. In this context, bacteria and fungi as well as their metabolites are natural alternatives of interest for use in food as bioprotective tools to fight fungal spoilage and to answer consumer demands and legislation.Food spoilage is a major issue for the food industry, leading to food waste, substantial economic losses for manufacturers and consumers, and a negative impact on brand names. Among causes, fungal contamination can be encountered at various stages of the food chain (e.g., post-harvest, during processing or storage. Fungal development leads to food sensory defects varying from visual deterioration to noticeable odor, flavor, or texture changes but can also have negative health impacts via mycotoxin production by some molds. In order to avoid microbial spoilage and thus extend product shelf life, different treatments—including fungicides and chemical preservatives—are used. In parallel, public authorities encourage the food industry to limit the use of these chemical compounds and develop natural methods for food preservation.

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