Year: 2013 | Month: December | volume 2 | Issue 2
Mechanism and manifestation of bacterial quorum sensing in food environment
Abstract: <div>Research in the field of food science and technology has shown that bacteria can communicate with each other. This communication is population-density dependent and involves signalling molecules that can diffuse between the bacterial cells. The process of communication is called ‘quorum sensing’.</div><div>Quorum sensing is now known to be a widespread phenomenon responsible for modulating many different activities in diverse Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. This phenomenon has been found to be responsible in food spoilage and biofilm formation by food-related bacteria in the food</div><div>industry in addition to pathogenesis. Understanding bacterial quorum-sensing systems can help in controlling the growth of undesirable food-related bacteria. Blocking the quorum-sensing signalling molecules in food related bacteria may possibly prevent quorum-sensing-regulated phenotypes</div><div>responsible for food spoilage. With proper understanding of quorum sensing mechanism we can identify quorum-sensing inhibitors that could be used as food preservatives to enhance food safety and increase shelf life.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div>
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