Bacteriocins in meat and meat products

Nowadays, microbiological safety is of major concern in meat industry because it is an important source of human enteric diseases. To inhibit contamination and extend the shelf life of meat products different procedures including addition of bacteriocins as natural preservatives can be used. This article discusses application of bacteriocins in meat industry and figures out possible ways to achieve better performance of bacteriocins ensuring food safety and toxicity. The application of bacteriocins and antimicrobial peptides as natural preservatives has been lately received considerable attention. However, addition of bacteriocins to foods can have some drawbacks and limitations. Therefore, characterization, identification, toxicity evaluation and application level of bacterions in meat and meat products should be investigated carefully so that they can be efficient in extending the shelf life and improving microbial safety of the product.

Keywords:

Bacteriocin , Meat , Natural preservative , Nisin , Safety.