Use of nisin and other bacteriocins for preservation of dairy products

Non-thermal treatments are attracting interest of the food industry due to their capability of assuring the quality and safety of food. Among them, bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria, such as nisin, pediocin PA-1, lacticin 3147 and enterocins, may be potentially useful for the dairy industry. Although cheese manufacturers have used bacteriocins for years, the combination of bacteriocins with heat and non-thermal treatments, such as high pressure, pulsed electric fields and other antimicrobials, opens innovative possibilities for application in other dairy products in hurdle-type approach. Bacteriocins alone, or combined with other treatments, could represent a promising advance for the microbiological safety and maintenance of sensory properties in dairy products. However, more research is needed to identify drawbacks out that may hinder their future application, such as their complete characterization, influence of food media on their effectiveness and their microbiological spectra.