The role of bacteriocins in food safety and quality

消费者对新鲜、加工最少的方便食品的需求导致冷藏即食食品的供应大幅增加。目前，冷藏是能够污染这些产品的食源性病原体生长的唯一可靠障碍。乳酸菌产生抗菌肽，称为细菌素，它能抑制一些病原菌的生长。这种微生物通常存在于真空包装食品中，但我们没有可靠的分析方法来检测食品中的细菌素。我们开发了一种使用基质辅助激光解吸/电离飞行时间质谱仪检测细菌素的灵敏方法，并将该方法用于确定Nisin的命运，Nisin是一种被批准用于食品的细菌素。然而，我们还无法检测和量化食品中其他细菌素的产量。需要进一步的研究来提高检测食品中产生的细菌素的分析技术的敏感性和特异性。 该研究计划的成果是：1)发展和优化基于抗体或蛋白质结合捕获法的食品中细菌素检测方法；2)开发可用于监测细菌素的产生和细菌素在肉类系统中的去向的方法。这项研究的成功结果将为加拿大食品业和监管机构提供有效的工具来检测最低加工肉类中的细菌素。这些方法也将被用来加强我们对乳酸菌及其细菌素在微生物生态和食品安全中的作用的了解。 该项目将培训至少3名高素质的个人，有可能利用资金支持更多的人员。对高资质人员的培训将有助于填补加拿大食品微生物学研究人员的空白，并将满足食品加工行业对高资质人员的需求。

Consumer demand for fresh, minimally processed, convenient food products has resulted in a tremendous increase in the availability of refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods. Currently, refrigeration is the only reliable hurdle to the growth of foodborne pathogens that can contaminate these products. Lactic acid bacteria produce antibacterial peptides, known as bacteriocins, which inhibit the growth of some pathogenic bacteria. The organisms are commonly found on vacuum packaged foods but we do not have reliable analytical methods for the detection of bacteriocins in foods. We developed a sensitive method for detection of bacteriocins using a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer and this method was used to determine the fate of nisin, a bacteriocin that is approved for use in foods. However, we have not been able to detect and quantify the production of other bacteriocins in foods. Further research is required to improve the sensitivity and specificity of analytical techniques for detection of bacteriocins produced in foods. The outcomes of this research program are to: 1) develop and optimize methods for detection of bacteriocins in foods based on antibody- or protein-binding capture methods; and to 2) develop methods that can be used to monitor bacteriocin production and the fate of bacteriocins in meat systems. The successful outcome of this research will provide the Canadian food industry and regulators with effective tools for detection of bacteriocins in minimally processed meats. These methods will also be used to enhance our understanding of the role of lactic acid bacteria and their bacteriocins in microbial ecology and food safety. The project will train at least 3 highly qualified individuals, with the potential for leveraging funds to support additional personnel. The training of highly qualified individuals will help fill the gaps in the availability of food microbiology researchers in Canada and will meet the needs of the food processing industry for highly qualified individuals.