Biopreservation of seafood products using marine bacteria

The consumption of seafood is constantly on the increase, thanks to its recognized nutritional qualities and the fact that it guarantees food security in certain parts of the world. However, they are fragile commodities that lead to economic losses and food waste, issues that are at the heart of current global concerns. These foods are also vectors for human pathogens, which can cause food poisoning. This is all the more the case with consumption patterns moving towards raw, less smoked, less salted products, whose preparation and storage allow contamination and the development of altering or pathogenic micro-organisms. The industry is looking for solutions to improve the quality and safety of seafood throughout its life cycle, while preserving its organoleptic properties. Biopreservation appears to be a gentle strategy suitable for this type of matrix, particularly for lightly preserved foods packaged in vacuum or protective atmosphere. Combined with refrigeration and sometimes other methods, it involves inoculating food matrices with selected bioprotective strains with the property of preventing the proliferation of undesirable organisms. However, the efficacy and reproducibility of this strategy remain highly dependent on the endogenous microbiota - essentially bacteria - implanted in the matrix. As a result, numerous studies are currently being carried out to describe this microbiota, understand its evolution during storage, and elucidate the factors influencing its role in the spoilage process.

As described in this article, biopreservation reduces the economic and health impact of undesirable microorganisms. Seafood microbiota are the source of both marine bioprotective strains and spoilage flora, and multiple strategies can be used to select these bioprotective strains.