Insight into antibacterial mechanism of polysaccharides: A review

Foodborne pathogenic bacteria is a serious threat to food safety, endangers human health, and can cause huge economic losses. Thus, there is a vital need for development of novel anti-bacterial agents with feature of enhanced antimicrobial activity and high bio-safety, which have almost no influence on textural and flavor perspectives of foods. Polysaccharides are natural macromolecular polymers that are widespread in nature and have attracted much attention due to their significant bio-activities. Although polysaccharides have been demonstrated for their activities against foodborne pathogens, their antibacterial abilities and modes of action have not been systematically discussed. This review presented herein focuses on diverse antibacterial mechanisms of polysaccharides. Actually, their antibacterial mode of action was shown to be via damaging cellular structural and inhibiting bioenergetics metabolism. Additionally, for the higher antibacterial activity, probably also the new antibacterial mechanism of polysaccharides and the strategies should be developed. Accordingly, this review could open the door for the production and application of polysaccharides as novel antibacterial agents and green preservatives in the food field.