A review of bacteriocinogenic lactic acid bacteria used as bioprotective cultures in fresh meat produced in Argentina
Introduction
Consumers may be more concerned about safety in food than in any other products, including medicines (Prendergast, 1997). Awareness of the consequences of the meat-borne pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7 has increased in the general public opinion, making this organism a household name in the 21st century (Ransom, Belk, Sofos, Stopforth, Scanga, Ransom et al., 2003). Undoubtedly the major threat to food safety is the emergence of “new” pathogens. The recent role of Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter jejuni, Yersinia enterocolítica and Vibrio parahemolyticus as foodborne microorganisms has been related to the increase of outbreaks compared to traditional food pathogens (Church, 2004, Elmi, 2004, Mead et al., 2005, Moore et al., 2005). Changes in the food chain will continue to create opportunities for the emergence of new diseases and the re-emergence of old ones. Since pathogens do not recognize national boundaries, the rapidity with which individual microorganisms can circumnavigate the globe spreading infections makes the control of communicable diseases an enormous challenge for governments as well as for the public and primary health care systems. The manufacture of an increasing range of novel meat products as functional foods and the inclusion of ingredients considered beneficial for health (Fernández-Ginés, Fernández-López, Sayas-Barberá, & Pérez-Alvarez, 2005) may also pose additional dangers with respect to safety. Additionally, the presence in meat products of chemical additives and residues of agrochemical and veterinary drugs is also perceived by consumers as a health risk. Even when the level of these residues seldom exceeds the regulatory limits in meat products (Tarrant, 1998), the use of antibiotics in intensive animal production poses the additional risk of bacterial resistance, which constitutes a microbiological hazard rather than a strictly chemical residue one.
On these bases, the need for solutions concerning the hygienic quality of food is stated. Consumers are increasingly demanding food that is free from pathogens, with minimal processing and fewer preservatives and additives but with an unimpaired sensorial quality. As a response to these conflicting demands, current trends in the food industry include the investigation of alternative inhibitors to ensure food safety. Biopreservation has gained increasing attention as means of naturally controlling the shelf life and safety of meat products. The application of bioprotective cultures to ensure the hygienic quality is a promising tool although, as pointed out by Holzapfel, Geisen, and Schillinger (1995), it should be considered only as an additional measure to good manufacturing, processing, storage and distribution practices. Some microorganisms commonly associated with meats have proved to be antagonistic towards pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have a major potential for use in biopreservation because they are safe for human consumption (GRAS status) and are the prevalent microflora during storage in many foods.
In the present contribution, the use of antagonist microorganisms to inhibit and/or inactivate pathogens and spoilage flora in meat is discussed, with particular reference to bacteriocin-forming LAB strains. In addition, a new concept of bacterial culture to be used in the shelf life extension of raw meat is analyzed where biopreservative and biotechnological features complete the essential criteria for healthier meat products.
Section snippets
Microbiology of raw meat
The characteristic microbial populations that develop in meat and meat products are the result of the effect of the prevailing environmental conditions on the growth of the type of microbes initially present in the raw material or introduced by cross-contamination. The intrinsic and extrinsic factors governing microbial growth will determine the type and number of bacteria present in meat. Intrinsic factors are predominantly chemical (concentration and availability of nutrients, pH, redox
Shelf stability and the “hurdle effect” in fresh meat
The microbial safety and stability as well as the nutritional and sensory quality of meat and meat products are based on the application of combined preservative factors or “hurdles”. These factors were introduced empirically in traditional foods while for novel foods products hurdles were intelligently selected and intentionally applied (Leistner, 2000). Hurdle technology, derived from the understanding of the hurdle effect (Leistner, 1997), refers to the deliberate combination of existing
Bioprotection: definition
The preservation of foods using their natural and controlled microbiota and/or their antimicrobial metabolites has been termed bioprotection or biopreservation to differentiate it from artificial (chemical) preservation (Stiles, 1996). Antagonistic cultures added to foods to inhibit pathogens and/or extend shelf life while changing the sensory properties as little as possible are called protective cultures (Lücke, 2000). The main purpose of biopreservation is the extension of storage life as
Systems for retail meat distribution
The shipment of meat products from the southern hemisphere (meat producers) to the northern consumer countries started at the end of the 19th century after the advent of refrigeration. At that time, all meat products were frozen prior to shipment and held at −10 °C or below during transport. The trade of beef quarters from Argentina to Europe started in the 1930s benefited by the higher prices of chilled products, bovine quarters being kept at −1 to 2 °C during a 15-day voyage. Later in the
Overcoming Gram-negative resistance to LAB bacteriocins
Methods to substantially reduce or inhibit Gram-negative bacteria by food-grade compounds are of considerable interest for the food industry since there are both public health and economic concerns. In food protection, Gram-negative spoilage organisms and pathogens are especially problematic due to their inherent resistance to some antimicrobial agents that are applicable or present in foods such as bacteriocins. Although lantibiotics have wider spectra of inhibition than non-lantibiotics, none
Conclusions
Nowadays, consumers are greatly concerned about the relationship between food and health. The use of food additives is regarded as unnatural and unsafe. However, additives are necessary to preserve foods from spoilage and to improve organoleptic properties. The demand for a reduced use of additives and processing seems contradictory for a market asking for safer and tastier foods. These market demands put the food industry under pressure to search for innovative solutions. Meat and meat
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support of the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONICET) through Grants PIP02-757 and PIP 6229 and of the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT) through PICT 09-4632 and 09-13499 Grants.
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