Bioprotective antifungal bacteria for food preservation
Explore natural antifungal bacterial strains as bio-protective agents in food, reducing spoilage and chemical preservatives. Enhance safety and quality in products like baked goods and sauces.
Overview
BioProtective antifungal bacteria offer a promising solution to enhance food preservation by utilizing natural microbial strains to combat fungal spoilage. This approach aims to replace chemical additives with natural alternatives, ensuring safety and quality in food products. With a focus on baked goods and sauces, including baby foods, this research explores bacterial strains and metabolites with proven antifungal activity against common food contaminants like Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Aspergillus, and Penicillium genera.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Selection of bacterial strains based on in vitro antifungal activity
- Evaluation of bacterial metabolites as natural preservatives
- In situ antifungal assays in commercial food batches
- Whole genome sequencing to ensure absence of antibiotic resistance genes
- Testing against single fungal strains and consortia
Technology readiness level
This technology is at Technology Readiness Level 5, indicating that it has been validated in a relevant environment and is progressing towards commercial readiness. The research includes monitoring the shelf life of food products through microbiological and sensory analyses to confirm efficacy and safety.
About University of Turin
The University of Turin is a comprehensive public research university with a broad disciplinary footprint and strong regional engagement. Industry connects through a dedicated knowledge‑transfer function and 2i3T, the university’s business incubator and technology‑transfer company, which supports IP protection, licensing and spin‑out creation. Clinical translation is enabled by integration with the Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, a large university hospital system. Situated in a metropolitan area anchored by leading automotive and aerospace players, the university collaborates within a mature industrial ecosystem. Research is supported by competitive European and national funding, including Horizon Europe and Italian ministerial programs.
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