A team of scientists from various countries, including the Volgograd State Technical University, has investigated the properties of preparations containing several strains of lactobacteria. It was found that some substances produced by these microorganisms have the properties of bacteriocins — natural antibiotics that act only on bacteria and do not pose a danger to humans.
According to scientists, the use of such "living" preservatives could become an alternative to synthetic antibiotics, which would benefit human health and the environment.
Throughout various historical periods, people have used a variety of methods to increase the shelf life of products and prevent their spoilage due to harmful microorganisms. For example, among the "primitive" preservatives, one can name a solution of table salt, which "dries out" bacteria, as well as wine vinegar and lactic acid.
With the advent of the chemical industry, the creation of synthetic substances that prevent the growth and development of pathogenic microorganisms began.
However, food production is gradually returning to natural means of extending the shelf life of products. The basis of this concept is the addition of safe, killed microorganisms that produce bacteriocins. Bacteria have not yet adapted to them and cannot become resistant, as to antibiotics, researchers say.
Researchers have discovered substances called "bacteriocins" in the bacterium Latilactobacillus sakei (subspecies sakei 2a), which turned out to be harmless to cells other than bacteria. The bacterium Latilactobacillus sakei is often found in meat products and is involved in fermentation, extending the shelf life of meat and improving its taste and smell.
Some types of lactobacteria produce virulence factors — molecules that are destructive to neighboring microorganisms. Latilactobacillus sakei are exactly that, releasing bacteriocins, killing other microorganisms, and using them as food.
In modern food products, preservatives are used along with antibiotics. Therefore, a natural preservative must be able to resist antimicrobial substances.
Earlier, Moscow Polytech developed a new technology that allows for analyzes for cancer markers and other diseases. It is based on biosensors — devices that can detect various molecules in biological samples. Similar systems are already actively used in medicine in the form of immunochromatographic test strips, glucometers, and biochips.
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