Commercially Important Microorganisms In

Food Industry For Preservation and their role

Name : ADYA BAJPAI

Student Id : JISU/2023/2057
Subject : General Microbiology
Subject code : PM11003
Abstract
Microorganisms are an important part of the food industry as these are helpful in food preservation
and production. Usually, microorganisms are used in making dairy products (yogurt and cheese),
fermented vegetables (olives, pickles, and sauerkraut), fermented meats (salami), and sourdough
bread. These are also utilized for the production of wine and several other beverages. Microbial
food processing is used to transform simple food into a value-added form with the assistance of
microbes. In addition, it involves converting low-value, often inedible, perishable natural resources
into high-value, safe food products. Recently in the food industry, the use of microorganisms has
started on a large scale for the production of chocolate, food color, from preserving fruits,
vegetables and meat, and as probiotics which are helpful for human health. Different types of the
microorganisms produce enzymes of nutritional value such as microbial transglutaminase for fish
production. As the human population is increasing, we need to adopt new techniques for producing
qualitative and nutritious food with longer shelf life. These microorganisms can be used to cope
with the shortage of food supply. This review will brief the role of microorganisms in food
industry for preservation.

Introduction
Fermented food is a diverse category with roots in ancient culinary practices, it offers of fusion of
unique flavours and potential health benefits. The original and primary purpose of fermenting food
substrates was to achieve a preservation effect. Most of the microorganisms including bacteria and
fungi have been used to obtain food, antibiotics and other products since ages. Moreover,
microorganisms contribute to the smell, texture and taste of the food and cause spoilage of the
food. One such type of bacteria are Lactobacilli that is used for the production of food as these
bacteria ferment lactic acid . Lactobacilli are conventionally used to add aroma and texture to the
food while preventing the spoilage of dairy products, meat and vegetables . Fermented foods
not only have high nutritional value but their shelf life is also extended. Moreover, due to
increased acidity, these food products do not harbor pathogenic microorganisms . Fermented
foods not only have antitumor and anticholesterol activities but also reduce nitrites and reduce
gastrointestinal (GI) disorders . Microorganisms that are present in the GI tract are known for
producing health promoting compounds that are called probiotics. These probiotics in fermented
products help in the preservation of milk products through the formation of lactic acid which adds to
the flavor as well as nutritional value of the food . It is also reported in many epidemiological studies
that high intake of fruits and vegetables helps to reduce the incidence of chronic diseases . These
foods provide phytochemicals, fibers and antioxidants that reduce the risk of cell damage and
contribute to the better health of the consumer . One emerging field related to food and food products
is the extraction of food colors from microbial sources. There are many mechanisms that are
responsible for a significant color to a specific species of microorganisms. Prior to the extraction
of microbial colors, the safety and efficacy are measured and it is confirmed that these colors
are edible and non-toxic . Fungal cells offer a reliable source for extraction of color and their use in
foods . Other than these properties, microorganisms produce chemical agents such as Nisin that
have antimicrobial properties; however, these compounds can be decomposed by digestive enzymes.
Nisin is being used to prevent spoilage of cheese from Clostridium tyrobutyricum .Nowadays it is
also being used to preserve and produce various types of cheese, ready-made soups and canned foods
Essential elements of food fermentation
Preservation of food buy fermentation depends on the principle of oxidation of carbohydrates and
related derivatives two generate and products which are generally acids, alcohol and carbon dioxide.
These and products control the growth of food spoilage microorganisms and because the oxidation is
only partial, the food retails sufficient energy potential to be of nutritional benefit to the consumer.
Fermentation increases the nutritional quality of food by increasing digestibility as in the fermentation
of milk to cheese. Toxicity of food may also be reduced by fermentation as occurs in the production of
gari .

*Mechanism of antibiosis mediated by lactic acid bacteria

The specific anti microbial mechanism of lactic acid bacteria exploited in the bio preservation of food
include the production of organic acids, hydrogen peroxide, carbon dioxide, diacetyl, broad spectrum
anti microbials such as reuterin and the production of bacteriocins.
a) Organic acids, acetaldehyde and ethanol- during lactic acid fermentation organic acid such as
lactic acid acetic acid and propionic acids are produced. These acids lowers the pH of the food
thus creating an acidic environment that inhibits the growth of spoilage microorganisms and
pathogens and also gives flavor to the food. These acids also inhibit the active transport of
bacterial cell membrane thus inhibits the growth of microbes such as yeast ,moulds, bacteria.
b) Hydrogen peroxide -Lactic acid bacteria lack true catalase to break down the hydrogen
peroxide generated in the presence of oxygen. It is argued that the hydrogen peroxide can
accumulate and be inhibitory to some microorganisms. Inhibition is mediated through the
strong oxidizing effect on membrane lipids and cell proteins.
c) Carbon dioxide – carbon dioxide is formed from heterolactic fermentation and it can directly
create an anaerobic environment. It is toxic to some aerobic food microorganism.
d) Diacetyl formation-diacetyl is a product of citric metabolism and is responsible for the Aroma
and flavour of butter and some other fermented milk products. Many lactic acid bacteria
including strains of Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus,Pediococcus and Lactococcus produce
diacetyl . Gram negative bacteria yeasts and moulds are sensitive to diacetyl.
e) Reuterin – Reuterin is produced during stationery phase by the anaerobic growth of
Lactobacillus reuteri on a mixture of glucose and glycerol or glyceraldehyde . It has a general
anti microbial spectrum affecting viruses, fungi and protozoa as well as bacteria. Its activity is
thought to be due to inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase.
f) Bacteriocins production- lactic acid bacteria produces bacteriocins like nisin.
Microbial activity of different microbes used in various industries .
Serial Microbial Microbes Use in industry
number activity
1. Pectinolytic Lactobacillus brevisL166, Coffee industry
activity Erwinia berbicola C26 ,
B.subtilis C12 ,
Kluyveromyces fragilis K211
2 Natringinase Aspergillus niger, Fruit juices industry
activity Aspergillus oryzae ,
Penicillium decumbens
Phanopsis citri,
Rhizopus nigricans
3 Fermentation Bothrytiscinerea spp. Dairy industry
Streptococcus thermophilus
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
4 Protease Bacillus tequilensis strain Brewing industry
activity SCSGAB0139
5 Asparagenase Cladosporium sp Baking industry
activity

Role of lactic acid bacteria :

Lactic acid bacteria are being used in a number of food production and storage methods in the modern
food industries. Lactobacilli are commonly used for the storage of uncooked fermented sausages ,
hams and sliced meats to avoid pathogenic listeria infection. These bacteria have replaced the chemical
additives such as sodium lactate and potassium acetate which where used for the safety and quality of
the above mentioned meat products; however these additives leave numb mouth feel or wormed over
flavour upon eating .
The basic mechanism of action of lactic acid bacteria in Raw fermented sausages is the conversion of
sugars to lactic acid through fermentation. This contributes to the unfavourable conditions for the
growth of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. Other than the production of lactic acid, these
bacteria produce small amount of products such as acetic acid, acetoin , ethanol and pyruvic acid which
act as precursors for production of other compounds besides adding Aroma to the food.
Lactic acid producing bacteria such as Wiessella app. and Limosilactobacillus spp have the ability of
producing certain exopolysaccharides that are recognised as safe food industry by the Food and Drug
Administration. One such homo- polysaccharide called alpha-D-glucans is produced by Leuconostoc
spp. and Lactobacillus spp. that is frequently used in baking industry to improve softness and texture
of baked product such as breads. It is also used as a stabilizer and emulsifier in ice cream product while
preventing the crystallization during freezing. It has also been reported that common lactic acid
producing bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Streptococcus species produce beta-D-fructans which is
used as a prebiotic and also as a replacement for sugars. Exopolysaccharide produced by lactic acid
producing bacteria is also used to improve texture and shelf life of plant based dairy like products in
vegan industry.

Microorganism used in the production of bio colours :

Colors that are used in foodstuff, dyes, cosmetics and other industries are usually synthetic and
possess toxic properties. These chemical colors also have carcinogenic properties, so production
of colors and pigments from biological resources is very interesting topic of research among
scientists these days . Various types of microorganisms including fungi, algae and yeasts are
colored in nature and their color can be extracted for industrial purposes. Currently, fungi are
considered as an important source of biocolors. Therefore fungal carotenoids, and polyketide
azaphilone have been approved by the European Union for pigment production . The use of fungal
colorants allows the manufacturers to use these colorants when seasonal supply of chemical colorants
is not available. Species belonging to Monascus genus of fungi produce three different pigments
including orange, red and yellow. These pigments are used in East Asian foods such as red rice wine
and red bean curd .Other than fungi, Bacillus sp. Produces riboflavin that are rich in yellow orange
pigment and currently being used in baby foods, cheese, pasta sauce and cereals. However,
despite the ability of microbes to produce color pigments, these synthetic pigments cannot
replace the natural colors completely. The challenges include high cost of production as all microbes
have different growth requirements, low stability of the pigment produced and variation in the shades
of color due to slight changes in growth conditions. But the production of colors by fermentation is
promising because of low cost, high stability, ease of extraction and higher yields . To minimize the
hurdles present between the mass production of bio colors; a combination of genetic modifications and
fermentation followed by the ultrasonication of cells in order to extract the color can be used
completely .
Microorganisms as Probiotic The word probiotic means “for life” and in microbiology, it can be
defined as the alive microorganisms that provide health benefits to humans which cannot be
attained by general nutrition. Probiotics are currently of great interest in industries such as food,
medicine and dietary supcompletely. Dairy drinks are the first rich source of probiotics and are
also called fortified dairy products. Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus are the bacteria that grow
poorly in milk because of their inability to utilize lactose as a carbon source. To ease this
difficulty, enhancers are added to the milk such as citrus fiber to increase the growth of probiotics
present in the fermented milks . Yogurt is considered the natural source of probiotics as it is
produced by Lactobacillus and Streptococcus species. These probiotics are often thought to exhibit
as sources of certain effects on yogurt such as acidity, flavor, texture and appearance. Therefore, it
is safe to say that addition of probiotics and cysteine can improve the stability and other
characteristics of yogurt .Other than dairy products, there is also a demand for the use of probiotics
in vegetables and fruit juices. It is because of the inability of a large population to digest the different
components present in dairy. In plant based substrates, probiotics need 37℃ temperature to grow
which makes the production of non-dairy probiotic products .In case of fruit juices, several probiotic
strains are used depending on the substrate that allow the fermentation of fruit juices without altering
the flavor. While, in case of fermented pomegranate juice, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus
delbruekii prove to be the desirable probiotics.
Role of microorganisms in the processing and preservation of Meat In meat industry, the main
challenge is the preservation of raw meat and meat products for a longer period of time. To achieve
this, antagonistic cultures of bacteria are used to restrict the growth of pathogenic and the spoilage
microbes. These cultures are usually termed as protective cultures . As described earlier, Lactic acid
bacteria are primarily used in preservation of meat products. The main mechanism of action of
these bacteria is to produce lactic acid and acetic acid through fermentation that lowers the pH of
the meat product. This leads to the preservative effect that is desired to be achieved
Besides the production of acids, these bacteria produce bacteriocins that have antimicrobial
properties. These are the peptides that can inhibit the growth of Listeria on meats and also have
limited activity against spore formers such as Bacillus and Clostridium. Since bacteriocins are
peptides in nature that are cleaved by proteases present in the intestines; therefore, there is no
safety concern for their use in meat industry . Despite all the advantages, there are some drawbacks
linked with the use of bacteriocins. The bacteriocins are least effective in solid medium or solid
foods which makes its use limited to liquid food only. Moreover, if it binds with certain food
components, which leads to reduce its activity. The effectiveness of bacteriocins is also dependent on
its distribution in food and presence of proteases
Role of microorganisms in Nisin Activity - Nisin is a bacteriocin produced by Lactococcus lactis
and is a member of type-I lantibiotic group as it contains an amino acid named lanthionine .
Nisin has the ability to prevent the growth and spore formation of many of the gram positive
and gram negative bacteria. Some of these bacteria include Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus
aureus, Bacillus and Clostridium species, Escherichia coli and Salmonella . Nisin has been
extensively studied for its safety as a food preservative and is considered the only bacteriocin
that is permitted for use in food . Studies have reported that Nisin is usually more effective
against Gram positive bacteria and cannot penetrate lipopolysaccharides present in the cell wall of
Gram negative bacteria but its use with a chelating agent such as Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
(EDTA) increases its effectiveness against Gram negative bacteria . Nisin is commonly used to
preserve foods that are low acid canned foods as neutral or near to neutral pH facilitates the
growth of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. These foods generally include canned, minimum heat
processed vegetables that have pH above 4.5 . The food products such as crumpets are rich in
moisture and favor the growth of bacteria that cause food poisoning. One study showed that
untreated crumpets provided suitable conditions for the growth of Bacillus cereus which caused
food poisoning in consumers. When Nisin was added to the crumpet batter at the level of 3.75 µg/g,
the bacteria was not capable of growth to levels that could cause food poisoning . Other than
the use of Nisin in canned vegetables and crumpets, it is also used in cured meat that not only
acts as preservative but also helps to reduce the levels of nitrite in cured meat .
 *Examples of fermented foods
Product Country Microorganism (s) Substrate
Bread International Saccharomyces cerevisiae ,other Wheat, rye ,other
yeasts, lactic acid bacteria grains
Bongkrek Indonesia Rhizopus oligosporus Coconut press
cake
Gari West Africa Corynebacterium manihot, other Cassava root
yeasts, lactic acid bacteria
(L.plantarum , Streptococcus spp)
Idli Southern India L.mesenteroides , Rice and black
Candida ,Trichosporon sp. gram dal
Kimchi Korea Lactic acid bacteria Cabbage,
vegetables ,
sometimes
seafood,nuts
Mahewu South Africa Lactic acid bacteria Maize
Soy sauce Japan, China , Aspergillus oryzae, or A.soyae Soyabeans and
Philippines wheat
Tempeh Indonesia Rhizopus oligosporus Soyabeans
Surinam
Nan India Saccharomyces cerevisiae White wheat
Lactic acid bacteria flour
Cheese International Lactic acid bacteria, (L.lactis Milk
,S.thermophilus,
Propionibacterium shermanii
Yogert International S.thermophilus , Milk
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
Fermented Southern and Lactic acid bacteria Mammalian
sausages central Europe ,U (Lactobacilli, Pediococci) meat , generally
S.A Catalase positive cocci pork or beef less
(S.carnosus) often poultry

Sauerkraut International Lactic acid bacteria Cabbage

L.mesenteroides, Lactobacillus
brevis , L.plantarum
Pickles International P.cerevisiae,Lactobacillus Cucumber
plantarum
Olives Mediterranean Ln. mesenteroides , Lactobacillus Green olives
plantarum
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