- Quality and Safety
Natural preservatives and antimicrobials
Natural preservatives and antimicrobials to enhance food safety. New natural strategies for safer food
Food safety is facing new challenges. The increase in bacterial resistance to antibiotics, known as antimicrobial resistance, together with the emergence of new microbiological and chemical risks, is driving the search for innovative solutions that make it possible to ensure safe, high-quality food.
In this context, the development of natural preservatives and antimicrobials has become a priority for the food industry. These solutions offer an effective alternative for combating pathogenic microorganisms, extending the shelf life of food and responding to growing consumer demand for more natural and sustainable products.
In addition, the prevention of pathogenic microorganisms such as Salmonella or Escherichia coli requires the implementation of comprehensive strategies that ensure the protection of the entire food chain, from production to the final consumer.
The challenge of reducing microbiological risks without compromising quality
The incorporation of natural antimicrobials offers significant opportunities, but it also requires an in-depth understanding of their behaviour within each food product. Their effectiveness may vary depending on the composition of the food matrix, processing or storage conditions, and the organoleptic characteristics of the final product.
It is therefore essential to design solutions adapted to each case, capable of providing maximum microbiological protection while maintaining quality, taste, aroma and consumer acceptance.
At AINIA, we add value
- Design of new natural antimicrobial strategies, based on natural extracts or on compounds obtained through biotechnological processes.
- Definition of product preservation processes based on natural additives.
- Study of the efficacy of natural antimicrobials.
- Study of the interaction between the matrix and natural preservatives: effect on the shelf life and organoleptic characteristics of the food.
Natural antimicrobial substances as an alternative to antibiotics
We analyse the food matrix and the microbiological risks that may arise, information from which we research and develop new antimicrobial strategies as alternatives to the use of antibiotics in the distribution chain. Unlike antibiotics, these strategies focus on combating microorganisms more precisely, minimising the generation of associated resistance.
We combine our know-how in bioprocesses and proteomics to further advance the development of new bio-based antimicrobial compounds, such as bacteriocins and endolysins, for example. We define efficient strategies for their production, purification and incorporation into foods. We contribute our experience in the isolation of new bacteriophage viruses which, after sequencing, make it possible to identify more attractive endolysins.
We design targeted and specific strategies (enzymatic hydrolysis, biocatalysis) to obtain the bioactive peptides of interest.
We evaluate the characteristics and production process of the specific food matrix and propose natural alternatives to the preservatives traditionally used in the food in question.
For all these processes, we have our own Collection of Biological and Genetic Resources, which contains both microorganisms with antimicrobial properties and pathogens isolated from real environments, enabling a better assessment of antimicrobial capacity. We have tools based on proteomic techniques, as well as tools that allow us to understand the specific effect of these types of molecules on pathogenic microorganisms, such as Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli/STEC, Staphylococcus, Campylobacter, among others.
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Amparo de Benito
Microbiological models.
