Nisin; a Food Preservative Helps Improve Food Quality and Reduce Loss of Nutrients
Nisin is a polycyclic antibacterial peptide produced by a group of Gram-positive bacteria that belongs to Streptococcus and Lactococcus species. Nisin is classified as a Type A (I) antibiotic that is synthesized from mRNA and the translated peptide contains several unusual amino acids due to post-translational modifications. Nisin is a natural, antibacterial, and toxicologically safe preservative. It is usually available as yellowish or greyish white powder. Nisin shows broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against foodborne bacteria, such as Listeria monocytogenes. Nisin is widely used in medicines, cosmetics, beverages, canned food products, fruit juices, fast food, plant proteins, milk and meat products, dairy products, aquatic products, and health care products. Moreover, nisin improves food quality, reduces damage to nutrients, decreases the time required for sterilization, reduce temperature during food sterilization, and prolongs storage duration. Furtherm...