The current knowledge on the application of anti-biofilm enzymes in the food industry

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016

Authors

Ana Meireles (Author) FEUP; Anabela Borges (Author) FEUP; Efstathios Giaouris (Author) Other; Manuel Simões (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Food Research International

Vol. 86

Pages: 140-146

ISSN: 0963-9969

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 22 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 51 Citations

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Health sciences

FOS: Engineering and technology

Associated Projects

LEPABE - Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00K-J45

DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2016.06.006

Abstract (EN): Biofilms are encountered on nearly all wet surfaces, with their development being often unwanted due to the serious problems they can cause in different fields, including in the food sector. They are recognized as the preferential microbial lifestyle due to the numerous advantages for the embedded cells. Biofilm cells are highly resistant to stress conditions, particularly to antimicrobials, as their complex and compact structure hampers the penetration of antimicrobials and the access to the deep positioned cells. The increased resistance to the currently employed control strategies emphasizes the urgent need of new alternative and/or complementary eradication approaches. To this direction, the use of enzymes is an interesting alternative anti-biofilm approach due to their capability to degrade crucial components of the biofilm matrix, cause cell lysis, promote biofilm disruption and interrupt the cell-to-cell signaling events governing biofilm formation and maintenance. This review provides an overview of the enzymes used for biofilm control, their targets and examples of effective applications.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7