Bacteriocins: potentials and prospects in health and agrifood systems.

2024-04-25
Archives of microbiology 206(5)
- Rine Christopher Reuben
- Carmen Torres

PubMed: 38662051
DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-03948-y

Study Design

Type: Review

Bacteriocins are highly diverse, abundant, and heterogeneous antimicrobial peptides that are ribosomally synthesized by bacteria and archaea. Since their discovery about a century ago, there has been a growing interest in bacteriocin research and applications. This is mainly due to their high antimicrobial properties, narrow or broad spectrum of activity, specificity, low cytotoxicity, and stability. Though initially used to improve food quality and safety, bacteriocins are now globally exploited for innovative applications in human, animal, and food systems as sustainable alternatives to antibiotics. Bacteriocins have the potential to beneficially modulate microbiota, providing viable microbiome-based solutions for the treatment, management, and non-invasive bio-diagnosis of infectious and non-infectious diseases. The use of bacteriocins holds great promise in the modulation of food microbiomes, antimicrobial food packaging, bio-sanitizers and antibiofilm, pre/post-harvest biocontrol, functional food, growth promotion, and sustainable aquaculture. This can undoubtedly improve food security, safety, and quality globally. This review highlights the current trends in bacteriocin research, especially the increasing research outputs and funding, which we believe may proportionate the soaring global interest in bacteriocins. The use of cutting-edge technologies, such as bioengineering, can further enhance the exploitation of bacteriocins for innovative applications in human, animal, and food systems.

Research Insights

Supplement	Dose	Health Outcome	Effect Type	Effect Size	Source
Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118	—	Improved Gut Health	Beneficial	Small	View source Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118 ... has been shown to provide a range of health benefits in experimental models and in some human studies.