Screening Food Microbiota for Novel Antimicrobial Compounds suitable for Food Preservation
Loading...
Date
2017-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The excessive use of antimicrobials has led to the decrease of their effectiveness against foodborne pathogens and spoilage bacteria. Therefore, innovations are needed for discovery of new potent antimicrobials to be used in food. In this study, twenty one samples of fermented food products were screened for beneficial microorganisms that show potent antimicrobial activity. Out of 1500 tested isolate, an Enterococcus durans OSY-EGY strain, isolated from an Egyptian cheese, was found to produce an antimicrobial compound at pH 4.6 and a concentration of 800 arbitrary units/ml. This compound is most active against Listeria sp., Lactobacillus sp., Pediococcus sp., and Lactococcus lactis. The antimicrobial compound retained its activity after storage at 4°C for 12 months, heating at 100°C for 80 minutes and 120°C for 25 minutes, treatment with alpha-chymotrypsin, trypsin, carboxypeptidase, aminopeptidase, papain enzymes and over a pH range from 1.5 to 13.5. The compound was purified by cationic exchange resin and C18silica cartridges with elution by dimethyl sulfoxide which indicated the compound’s cationic and amphipathic nature. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed the purified compound as a single band and the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization showed that the molecular mass of the compound is 5200 kDa. In conclusion, the investigated antimicrobial compound is showing unique physico-chemical characteristics and stability to proteolytic enzymes, heat, acidic and alkaline pH; these traits make it a good candidate as a food preservative.
Description
Poster Division: Biological Sciences: 3rd Place (The Ohio State University Edward F. Hayes Graduate Research Forum)
Keywords
Biopreservatives, Bacteriocins, Food-borne pathogens, Purification