The quest for natural antimicrobials as novel means of food preservation: Status report on a European research project

At a time when consumers are demanding the partial or complete removal of chemically synthesized preservatives from foods, there is also an increased demand for convenience foods with long shelf-lives. These consumer-led trends have fuelled a renewed interest in the development of ‘more natural’ preservatives for extending the shelf-life and maintaining the safety of foods. Although the antimicrobial properties of many compounds from plant, animal and microbial sources have been reported, their potential for use as natural food preservatives has not been fully exploited. In this paper, the possible uses of natural antimicrobial compounds as food preservatives, used either singly or in combination, are explored. Specific examples are given from a current transnational research project on Natural Antimicrobial Systems sponsored jointly by the European Commission and a consortium of eight food companies. The results of trials with a range of potential natural preservatives including lytic enzymes, bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria and plant antimicrobials in laboratory media and in a variety of foods and beverages including apple juice, milk, hard-cooked cheese (Emmental) and fresh fruit slices are discussed.