Food Preservative Kills Gram-Negative Bacteria

MINNEAPOLISResearchers at the University of Minnesota discovered a naturally occurring lantibiotica peptide produced by a harmless bacteriathat could be added to food to kill harmful gram-negative bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria.

"It's aimed at protecting foods from a broad range of bugs that cause disease," said Dan O'Sullivan, a professor of food science and nutrition in the university's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. "Of the natural preservatives, it has a broader umbrella of bugs that it can protect against."

The lantibiotic could be used to prevent harmful bacteria in meats, processed cheeses, egg and dairy products, canned foods, seafood, salad dressing, fermented beverages and many other foods. In addition to food safety benefits, lantibiotics are easy to digest, nontoxic, do not induce allergies and are difficult for dangerous bacteria to develop resistance against.

According to a UM press release, O'Sullivan discovered the lantibiotic by chance, while researching the genome of bacteria. The U of M's Office for Technology Commercialization is currently seeking a licensee for the technology.