Chapter 5 - Biocompatible polymers impregnated with nisin and nanoparticles for food preservation

Abstract

Bacteriocins are the antimicrobial peptides synthesized by certain bacteria. Nisin is one of the bacteriocins obtained from lactic acid bacteria. It has broad-spectrum activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The US Food and Drug Administration has recommended nisin as a food preservative. Incorporation of nisin in food packaging film is used to control the spoilage of food from pathogenic microorganisms. There are certain issues regarding the use of nisin as a food preservative such as interaction with other food components, degradation by certain enzymes, and so on. The aforementioned issues of nisin can be solved by impregnating biocompatible polymers with nisin or by synthesizing nisin-loaded nanoparticles. Nanotechnology has significant applications in food science, especially in food packaging, food security, and antimicrobial agents. Different approaches have been proposed to increase the efficiency of nisin, such as encapsulation of nisin in nanoliposomes, conjugation of nisin with chitosan, the interaction of nisin with metallic nanoparticles, and so on. Other strategies were also employed to enhance the activity of nisin such as combining nisin with nanoparticles. Nanoparticles in combination with bacteriocins can be used as antimicrobial agents in the preservation of food. The delivery of nisin can be improved by the use of the nanoparticulate system. This chapter describes polymers impregnated with nisin and the application of nisin in food preservation. It also deals with the combined effect of nisin and nanoparticles and the use of nisin nanofilm in food preservation.