Determining Mechanisms of Action and Optimum Use of Polyphenols As Food Preservatives

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Preservatives are crucial ingredients in a wide range of foods which are present in order to control growth of pathogenic and spoilage organisms and maintain product quality and shelf life. A wide range of chemicals are currently used in this context including organic acids, salts and various nitrite compounds. Some of these additives, for example sodium and potassium nitrite, have potential health concerns1, 2 and there is great interest in industry in exploring alternatives3 which can retain antimicrobial activity but have a better safety profile. Polyphenols are a diverse group of natural products, extracted from plants which have multiple properties including antimicrobial activity4. Due to their perceived safety there has been great interest in using polyphenols as preservatives in various food stuffs5. Prosur is one commercially available polyphenol mixture currently being added to various foods or evaluated for incorporation in others. Despite the potential for polyphenols as antimicrobials there are major knowledge gaps regarding their mechanisms of action, spectrum of activity or potential bacterial resistance. This project aims to identify active polyphenols from a well curated panel and determine their mechanisms of action and investigate how foodborne pathogens respond to polyphenol exposure. The ultimate goal is to inform development of improved polyphenol formulations to be used in food.The project will incorporate analytical chemistry, microbiology and functional genomics to provide complementary approaches to these problems.