REVIEW article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Food Microbiology
This article is part of the Research TopicEnsuring Safety in Plant-Based Nutraceuticals: Addressing Microbial ContaminationView all articles
Cultivation to Consumption: Strengthening Bacterial Safety in Plant-Based Nutraceuticals
Provisionally accepted
- 1Graphic Era Deemed to be University, Dehradun, India
- 2Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
- 3Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, India
- 4Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Deemed University), Agra, India
- 5Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Industrial Engineering and Management, KTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm, SE-10044, Sweden, Kungliga Tekniska Hogskolan, Stockholm, Sweden
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Plant-based nutraceuticals are increasingly recognized for their bioactive compounds that promote health and assist in preventing chronic diseases. However, the rising demand has raised concerns about microbial safety, as contamination can occur at multiple stages of the production process-ranging from cultivation and harvesting to processing, storage, and distribution. Pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and toxin-producing fungi pose risks to product quality, threaten consumer health, and contribute to antimicrobial resistance. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the sources and types of microbial contamination, associated health risks, and the shortcomings of conventional control methods. It highlights recent advancements in safety techniques, including cold plasma, ultraviolet light treatment, high hydrostatic pressure, nanocoatings, probiotic biocontrol, and AI-driven microbial monitoring. Additionally, the analysis addresses the role of regulatory frameworks, quality assurance practices, and consumer education as integral elements of a unified safety approach. It integrates technological progress, regulatory perspectives, and consumer behavior to offer a detailed guide for ensuring the microbial safety of plant-derived nutraceuticals, thereby fostering confidence in these products from production through to consumption.
Keywords: cultivation, Harvesting, Microbial contamination, nutrition, Plant-based nutraceuticals
Received: 03 Sep 2025; Accepted: 03 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Gaur, Singhal, Vardhan, Jain, Bist and Wagri. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Naresh Kumar Wagri
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.