Composition having bacteristatic and bactericidal activity against bacterial spores and vegetative cells and process for treating foods therewith

Abstract

Antibacterial compositions effective against both gram positive and gram negative vegetative bacteria plus harmful gram positive sporeforming bacteria include propionibacterial metabolites in combination with two or more of the following: a lantibiotic; a lytic enzyme; and an organic acid or its salt. Methods of use are provided, as well as food products treated with these antibacterial compositions.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of earlier filed and copending U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 305,114, filed Jul. 13, 2001, entitled “Food-Treating Composition Having Bacteristatic and Bactericidal Activity and Process for Treating Food Therewith”, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a composition having bacteristatic and bactericidal activity against undesirable bacteria present in food, and to a process for treating food with such a composition in order to render the food more resistant to spoilage and safer for consumption. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Processes and compositions for treating food products to prevent or inhibit bacterial spoilage and / or the development of harmful bacteria are widely practiced. It is a common practice in the commercial sterilization of low-acid foods (i.e., pH>4.5)...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018] It has now been discovered, quite surprisingly, that a food-treating composition containing at least one propionibacterial metabolite and at least two additional components selected from the group consisting of (a) lantibiotics, (b) lytic enzymes, and (c) organic acids and / or organic acid salts, demonstrates excellent bacteristatic and bactericidal activity against gram positive and gram negative vegetative bacteria, as well as gram positive sporeforming bacteria typically found on or in foods. This composition is especially effective in being both bacteristatic and bactericidal to potentially harmful food-borne pathogenic bacteria when used in conjunction with one or more sublethal processing treatments.

[0020] In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a process for reducing the overall bacterial count or population in or on a food by applying to the food a bacteristatic-effective and bactericidal-effective amount of the foregoing composition.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, typical 12D sterilization processes can alter the appearance and flavor of foods, making them less desirable than foods that are processed at temperatures that are less lethal (sublethal) to spores of C. botulinum.

While sublethal processing treatments kill most vegetative spoilage and pathogenic bacterial cells, they typically kill only a fraction of potential bacterial spores, which have elevated resistance to heat, irradiation and other treatments.

Such spores can survive sublethal processing treatments and subsequently grow in the processed food, causing spoilage, illness and, in the worst cases, death.

The long refrigerated shelf-life of ready to eat foods, especially vacuum packed, modified atmosphere packed (MAP), and canned food products, can be especially troublesome as it may allow the spores of some bacteria, such as Clostridium botulinum, to germinate and grow in the food with the production of lethal toxins.

Such risk may be higher in sublethally processed foods because sublethal processes typically destroy the nonpathogenic vegetative species of bacteria that would otherwise spoil or compete with sporeforming species.

A further exacerbating risk in this class of foods is the use of vacuum or modified atmosphere packaging processes, which produce the anaerobic conditions necessary for the development and growth of clostridial spores.

These metabolites demonstrate efficacy against gram negative bacteria but are typically not as effective against gram positive bacteria or their spores.