Harmless Bacteria Create Food Preservative

Escherichia coli Bacteria Credit: Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH

Millions of people contract food poisoning each year. Researchers from the University of Minnesota have made an interesting discovery that can help in the fight against food-borne diseases. They have discovered a naturally occurring food preservative that kills dangerous bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. The preservative, lantibiotic, is produced by harmless bacteria. According to the researchers, lantibiotic is the first natural preservative found to kill gram-negative bacteria. It also kills a wider range of harmful germs than other natural preservatives.

According to the researchers, lantibiotic has several benefits. Not only can it protect meats, eggs, dairy products and canned foods from dangerous bacteria, but it is easily digestible, nontoxic and produces no allergic responses. Another reported benefit is that harmful bacteria have difficulty forming a resistance to it. The researchers have received a patent for lantibiotic and believe that it can be an important tool to protect food from toxic bacteria.

Learn more about this study:

• Researchers Discover Natural Food Preservative That Kills Food-Borne Bacteria Science Daily