Wednesday, 29 March 2017: 08:55
Silver Hall (The Square)
More than 300,000 human cases of food toxi-infection are reported each year within the European Union. This major health issue is challenged by many factors, such as the globalization of the food market and the increase of susceptible populations, which may increase the risk of food outbreaks. In this context, the preservation of foods and the control of foodborne pathogens by natural, biological methods is an interesting approach that may contribute to tackling these food-related problems. Bacteriocins and bacteriophages have been investigated as innovative, bio-preservation tools. Although these alternative methods display several advantages (e.g., antimicrobial spectrum, heat and/or pH stability, or safety for humans), their development is often hindered by several drawbacks. This presentation will summarize both aspects and will indicate the new trends in the field.