Antimicrobial Peptides As Sustainable Food Safety Alternatives

Resumo

Objectives: The growing challenges of antimicrobial resistance and the limited effectiveness of conventional food disinfectants highlight the need for innovative and sustainable alternatives. Lactic-acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation is a promising approach for producing bactericidal peptides that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS grade-1). This study aimed to evaluate the potential antimicrobial peptides produced by fermentation as alternatives to food disinfectants and test their antibacterial and antifungal activities in practical approaches.
Material and Methods: Fermentation was developed using a previously developed protocol. Low molecular weight peptides were isolated via ultrafiltration and tested for antibacterial and antifungal activities against foodborne and relevant pathogens, using a microdilution assay. The peptides effects on salads and fruits were further tested in lettuce spiked with L. monocytogenes, Salmonella Goldcoast, and E. coli O157:H7, and in strawberries spiked with Botrytis cinerea.
Results: Fermentation-derived peptides exhibited strong antibacterial activity, with MICs of 6 μg/mL against Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157. Significant (p<0.001) dose-dependent growth inhibition was also observed for Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antifungal activity was detected against Botrytis cinerea, with MICs of 180 μg/mL. Concerning the peptides effects in lettuce, there was a growth reduction of approximately 33.5% for E. coli O157 and Salmonella Goldcoast and 19.5% for L. monocytogenes (p<0.05). Regarding strawberries, the reduction was 31% (p<0.05).
Conclusions: Fermentation-derived peptides exhibit potential as potent antimicrobial agents, providing a sustainable and effective alternative to conventional antibiotics and food disinfectants. These findings align with global One Health efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance, presenting a transformative and sustainable approach to food safety and public health challenges.
Keyword: Antibacterial peptides, Sustainable alternatives, Fermentation, Food disinfectants, One Health.
Funding: This work was supported by the project Smartpep, funded by Lusófona University, Portugal and FERMENTA by Fazer + Lusófona University.