Globally, foodborne pathogens and food spoilage-causing microbes are a major cause of food waste. In order to have a safe and sustainable food supply, these pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms must be controlled throughout the food supply chain. Over the years, several strategies of preservation have been developed to assure safety, nutritional values, and sensory characteristics of food. The demand for natural antimicrobial agents is expected to increase steadily due to consumers’ concerns about the use of synthetic chemicals. The negative impact of synthetic preservatives/chemicals on health is leading to more research to evaluate which natural antimicrobial agents may fulfill food safety regulations.
Moreover, overuse and misuse of antibiotics has led to multidrug-resistant microbes justifying and reinforcing the focus of researchers and the food industry on alternative interventions to assure food safety. Plants are extraordinary reservoirs of natural products with biological activity. Finding novel and potent antimicrobial agents of plant origin has great potential to combat the menace of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic microbes. Although previous literature has explored the antimicrobial activity of various plant-based sources, this Research Topic will also focus on reports investigating the efficacy, associated toxicity, and prototype applications of plant-based antimicrobial agents in existing food systems.
This Research Topic welcomes high-quality contributions from scientists working in diverse disciplines on achieving large-scale impacts of plant-based antimicrobials and their role in food safety. We invite scientists from different fields to contribute original research articles, state-of-the-art reviews, technology reports, or perspective papers.
Suggested topics:
• Bacterial resistance and the use of natural antimicrobials of plant origin
• Plant-derived antimicrobials
• Antimicrobial peptides
• Antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of phytochemicals
• Applications in active food packaging
• Plant-based antimicrobial formulations
• Essential oils and their application in food safety
• Encapsulation of phytochemicals
• Authenticity of plant-derived antimicrobials
• Evaluation of toxicity of plant-based antimicrobials
Globally, foodborne pathogens and food spoilage-causing microbes are a major cause of food waste. In order to have a safe and sustainable food supply, these pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms must be controlled throughout the food supply chain. Over the years, several strategies of preservation have been developed to assure safety, nutritional values, and sensory characteristics of food. The demand for natural antimicrobial agents is expected to increase steadily due to consumers’ concerns about the use of synthetic chemicals. The negative impact of synthetic preservatives/chemicals on health is leading to more research to evaluate which natural antimicrobial agents may fulfill food safety regulations.
Moreover, overuse and misuse of antibiotics has led to multidrug-resistant microbes justifying and reinforcing the focus of researchers and the food industry on alternative interventions to assure food safety. Plants are extraordinary reservoirs of natural products with biological activity. Finding novel and potent antimicrobial agents of plant origin has great potential to combat the menace of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic microbes. Although previous literature has explored the antimicrobial activity of various plant-based sources, this Research Topic will also focus on reports investigating the efficacy, associated toxicity, and prototype applications of plant-based antimicrobial agents in existing food systems.
This Research Topic welcomes high-quality contributions from scientists working in diverse disciplines on achieving large-scale impacts of plant-based antimicrobials and their role in food safety. We invite scientists from different fields to contribute original research articles, state-of-the-art reviews, technology reports, or perspective papers.
Suggested topics:
• Bacterial resistance and the use of natural antimicrobials of plant origin
• Plant-derived antimicrobials
• Antimicrobial peptides
• Antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of phytochemicals
• Applications in active food packaging
• Plant-based antimicrobial formulations
• Essential oils and their application in food safety
• Encapsulation of phytochemicals
• Authenticity of plant-derived antimicrobials
• Evaluation of toxicity of plant-based antimicrobials
