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Antimicrobial peptides as natural bio-preservative to enhance the shelf-life of food

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Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are diverse group of natural proteins present in animals, plants, insects and bacteria. These peptides are responsible for defense of host from pathogenic organisms. Chemical, enzymatic and recombinant techniques are used for the synthesis of antimicrobial peptides. These peptides have been found to be an alternative to the chemical preservatives. Currently, nisin is the only antimicrobial peptide, which is widely utilized in the preservation of food. Antimicrobial peptides can be used alone or in combination with other antimicrobial, essential oils and polymeric nanoparticles to enhance the shelf-life of food. This review presents an overview on different types of antimicrobial peptides, purification techniques, mode of action and application in food preservation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge financial support from Department of Science and Technology for providing INSPIRE Fellowship and UGC, New Delhi for financial assistance under SAP program. The authors would like to thank the financial support rendered by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, Processo: 300127/2015-4; 150745/2015-0), Brazil.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, S.G.B. Amravati University, Amravati, Maharashtra, 444602, India

    Mahendra Rai, Raksha Pandit & Swapnil Gaikwad

  2. Department of Biotechnology, Engineering School of Lorena, University of Sao Paulo, Estrada Municipal do Campinho, sn, Lorena, SP, 12602-810, Brazil

    Swapnil Gaikwad

  3. Institute of Plant Protection, Debrecen Agricultural University, P.O. Box 36, Debrecen, H-4015, Hungary

    György Kövics

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  1. Mahendra Rai
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Correspondence to Mahendra Rai.

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Rai, M., Pandit, R., Gaikwad, S. et al. Antimicrobial peptides as natural bio-preservative to enhance the shelf-life of food. J Food Sci Technol 53, 3381–3394 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-016-2318-5

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