Natural antimicrobial lipopeptides secreted by Bacillus spp. and their application in food preservation, a critical review

Microbial infection is one of the biggest causes of food spoilage. Thus, preventing food from microbial-related spoilage has been one of the main concerns for the food community and the public. Exploring safe and efficient bio-preservatives has been on the way to the improvement of food quality. Lipopeptides (LPs), mainly secreted by Bacillus spp., are promising potential bio-preservatives, as they not only cover a broad range of antimicrobial functions against foodborne pathogens but inhibit food-deteriorating microorganisms as well. This review presents a fine understanding of Bacillus-forming LPs covering their characteristics, biosynthesis and regulation, mechanisms of action in antimicrobial activity, and utilizations and fabrications as a bio-preservative agent in the food industry. LPs show good potential in preserving food from deterioration, mainly in keeping the quality of vegetables, fruits, drinks, and aquatic products. The notable effects of LPs against microbial growth and food spoilage depend greatly on their types, structures and dosage. Moreover, the yield of LPs has been enhanced by gene regulation and the optimization of fermentation parameters. The nano-encapsulation of LPs as the core material is promising in guaranteeing their sustained release upon various triggers and promoting the preservation of food better. Therefore, there is a great need to explore the prospects of LPs formed by Bacillus spp. in the improvement of food preservation.