Serrano Susana, Grujović Mirjana Ž, Marković Katarina G, Barreto-Crespo Maria Teresa, Semedo-Lemsaddek Teresa
CIISA-Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal.
Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 500-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
Foods. 2025 Mar 20;14(6):1075. doi: 10.3390/foods14061075.
Bacterial persistence, a dormant state that enables microorganisms to survive harsh conditions, is a significant concern in food-industry settings, where traditional antimicrobial treatments often fail to eliminate these resilient cells. This article goes beyond conventional review by compiling critical information aimed at providing practical solutions to combat bacterial persisters in food production environments. This review explores the primary mechanisms behind persister cell formation, including toxin-antitoxin systems, the alarmone guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp), stochastic processes (in which persistence occurs as a random event), and the SOS response. Given the serious implications for food safety and quality, the authors also report a range of physical, chemical, and biological methods for targeting and eradicating persister cells. The strategies discussed, whether applied individually or in combination, offer varying levels of availability and applicability within the industry and can serve as a guide for implementing microbial contamination control plans. While significant progress has been achieved, further research is crucial to fully understand the complex mechanisms underlying bacterial persistence in food and to develop effective and targeted strategies for its eradication in food-industry settings. Overall, the translation of these insights into practical applications aims to support the food industry in overcoming this persistent challenge, ensuring safer, more sustainable food production.
细菌持留性是一种使微生物能够在恶劣条件下存活的休眠状态，在食品工业环境中是一个重大问题，因为传统的抗菌处理往往无法消除这些具有顽强生命力的细胞。本文通过汇编关键信息，超越了传统综述的范畴，旨在提供切实可行的解决方案，以对抗食品生产环境中的细菌持留菌。本综述探讨了持留菌细胞形成背后的主要机制，包括毒素-抗毒素系统、警报素四磷酸鸟苷（ppGpp）、随机过程（其中持留性作为一个随机事件发生）以及SOS反应。鉴于对食品安全和质量的严重影响，作者还报告了一系列针对并根除持留菌细胞的物理、化学和生物学方法。所讨论的策略，无论是单独应用还是联合应用，在该行业内都具有不同程度的可用性和适用性，并且可以作为实施微生物污染控制计划的指南。虽然已经取得了重大进展，但进一步的研究对于全面了解食品中细菌持留性的复杂机制以及制定在食品工业环境中有效且有针对性的根除策略至关重要。总体而言，将这些见解转化为实际应用旨在支持食品工业克服这一持续存在的挑战，确保更安全、更可持续的食品生产。
