Preservatives prevent the microbial spoilage of foods especially meats by preventing the growth of organisms, either aerobic or anaerobic, that cause spoilage. Preservatives are essential in foods with high water content. Relatively few chemical preservatives [sorbates, propionates, sulphites, benzoates, lactates] are approved for use in foods, whilst three microbial preservatives [natamycin, lysozyme] have found some application in foods.
Peptides represent a novel class of antimicrobial preservatives. Pepceuticals a U.K. biotech company has developed an antimicrobial peptide which is incorporated in the coating of a meat product acting as barrier against bacterial infection. This coating particularly designed for meat is edible and- cookable which should prevent the spoilage of fresh meat. It is not certain whether this preservative will have to undergo regulatory tests to gain E.U. approval.
The 2012 edition of our survey ‘Biotechnology-Derived Food Additives’ will soon be available