Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global concern and has called for the integration of different areas of expertise for designing robust solutions. One such approach is the development of antimicrobial surfaces to combat the emerging resistance in microbes against drugs and disinfectants. This review is a compressive summary of the work done in the field of material science, chemistry, and microbiology in the development of antimicrobial materials and surfaces that are inspired by examples in nature. The focus includes examples of natural antimicrobial surfaces, such as cicada wings or nanopillars, dragonfly wings, shrimp shells, taro leaves, lotus leaves, sharkskin, gecko skin, and butterfly wings, along with their mechanism of action. Techniques, compositions, and combinations that have been developed to synthetically mimic these surfaces against bacterial/viral and fungal growth in food-processing areas have also been discussed. The applications of synthetic mimics of natural antimicrobial surfaces in food-processing environments is still a naïve area of research. However, this review highlights the potential applications of natural antimicrobial surfaces in the food-processing environment as well as outlines the challenges that need mitigations.
Highlights
Antimicrobial activity can be explained as a property of a compound or structure that enables either inhibition, reduction in growth rate, or inactivation of microbes.Antibiotic drugs have been reported in the literature since the discovery by AlexanderFleming of the first antibiotic, penicillin, in 1928 [1,2]
Antibiotic resistance is an emerging issue for food industries, as there is the pressure exerted by the primary sector in the use of antibiotics and biocides, which has led to an increase in the emergence of antimicrobial resistance throughout the food chain [3]
This includes biofilms formed by the spore-forming bacteria, which are very resistant to disinfectants and mild to moderate thermal wash [4], and biofilms from non-spore-forming bacteria, which eventually develop resistance to the treatment and can lead to severe food poisoning and spoilage issues, beyond their role in transmitting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the community [5]
Summary
Antimicrobial activity can be explained as a property of a compound or structure that enables either inhibition, reduction in growth rate, or inactivation (cell death) of microbes. Antibiotic resistance is an emerging issue for food industries, as there is the pressure exerted by the primary sector in the use of antibiotics and biocides (e.g., disinfectants, food and feed preservatives, or decontaminants), which has led to an increase in the emergence of antimicrobial resistance throughout the food chain [3] Another related concern is the ability of the resistant populations to form biofilms in food-processing areas. AMR, resistance to disinfectants, and persistence of biofilms in food-processing industries have urged researchers to search for alternative options against microbial contaminants One such promising area is the investigation of surfaces/structures found in nature that exhibits an antimicrobial contact killing mechanism. This review summarizes the reports on the efficacy of antimicrobial surfaces on foodborne pathogens and spoilage-related microorganisms, which emphasises the future potential in the food sector
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