Novel Antimicrobial Approaches in Biofilm Control in the Food Industry: Future Perspectives

Dear Colleagues,

Microbial growth and biofilm formation on surfaces are of critical concern in many different environments, especially in the food industry, as they represent important permanent sources of contamination. Furthermore, this leads to reduced product shelf-life and, in turn, can potentially affect consumer's health. Insufficient cleaning and disinfection processes, microbial persistence on surfaces, and biocide resistance of microorganisms drive the search for new effective antimicrobial strategies. This Special Issue aims to provide insights into novel approaches for biofilm prevention/control in the food industry, as alternatives to current cleaning and disinfecting agents. This Special Issue covers a range of following topics: antimicrobial efficacy of peptides, biosurfactants, bacteriophages, extracellular polymeric substances, matrix-degrading enzymes, nanoparticles, plant extracts, and essential oils and their bioactive compounds. This Special Issue also elucidates their modes of action and examines the factors that influence their activity. Additionally, readers will gain insights into the application of combined treatments ( with different antimicrobial agents) that may have a synergistic effect on microbial biofilms in industrial settings, while also reducing the negative environmental impacts of conventional biocides. This Special Issue is an invaluable resource for researchers in the field of food microbiology; it provides alternative strategies for biofilm control, summarizes their main applications in the food industry, and also lists their main advantages and limitations.

Dr. Ružica Tomičić
Dr. Meta Sterniša
Guest Editors

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