Activity of Gut-Derived Nisin-like Lantibiotics against Human Gut Pathogens and Commensals
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Food Preservatives Unforeseen Impact on Gut Microbiome
Food manufacturers often add preservatives to food products to keep them fresh. The primary purpose of these preservatives is to kill microbes that could break down and otherwise spoil the food. Bacteria create chemicals called bacteriocins to kill microbial competitors. These chemicals can serve as natural preservatives by killing potentially dangerous pathogens in food. Lanthipeptides, a class of bacteriocins with especially potent antimicrobial properties, are widely used by the food industry and have become known as "Lantibiotics", the study said. Scientists from the University of Chicago found that one of the most common classes of Lantibiotics has potent effects both against pathogens and against the commensal gut bacteria that keep us healthy.
Food Preservatives - How Safe Are They?
Food preservatives are basically antimicrobials or anti-oxidants that help preserve food by destroying the microbes and stopping decomposition of food products.
Food preservatives are basically antimicrobials or anti-oxidants that help preserve food by destroying the microbes and stopping decomposition of food products.
‘Common food preservatives- Lantibiotics, not only combat pathogens but also pose a threat to the beneficial bacteria in our gut, disrupting the delicate balance crucial for digestive health. #foodpreservatives #Lantibiotics #gutmicrobiome #guthealth #medindia
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Nisin is a popular Lantibiotic that is found in a variety of foods from beer to sausage to cheese and dipping sauces. It is produced by bacteria that live in the mammary glands of cows, but microbes in the human gut produce similar Lantibiotics too, the researchers explained. "Nisin is, in essence, an antibiotic that has been added to our food for a long time, but how it might impact our gut microbes is not well studied," said Zhenrun 'Jerry' Zhang, Ph.D., a postdoctoral scholar. "Even though it might be very effective in preventing food contamination, it might also have a greater impact on our human gut microbes," he added.
Zhang, along with his team, mined a public database of human gut bacteria genomes and identified genes for producing six different gut-derived Lantibiotics that closely resemble nisin, four of which were new. The researchers discovered that, while the various Lantibiotics had diverse effects, they all killed pathogens and commensal bacteria.
Quiz on Food Safety for Health
Food safety is the science of handling, preparing, storing and processing food so as to prevent food borne illness, disability and death. Find out through this quiz how you can keep yourself safe from food borne ...
Food safety is the science of handling, preparing, storing and processing food so as to prevent food borne illness, disability and death. Find out through this quiz how you can keep yourself safe from food borne ...
Reference:
- Activity of Gut-Derived Nisin-like Lantibiotics against Human Gut Pathogens and Commensals - (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acschembio.3c00577)
Food Preservatives - Are They Safe?
Food preservatives are a necessary evil. They are safe when used within permissible limits.
Food preservatives are a necessary evil. They are safe when used within permissible limits.
Food Preservatives Temporarily Alter Gut Microbe Composition
The microbes in the gut respond to food preservatives that are anti-microbial in nature by shunning down and then resolves back.
The microbes in the gut respond to food preservatives that are anti-microbial in nature by shunning down and then resolves back.
