Food Antimicrobial Agent Nisin,Special for Canned Food

Nisin, also known as lacticin or nisin, is a polypeptide substance produced by Lactococcus lactis with potent antibacterial properties. Due to its high efficiency, non-toxicity, safety, and absence of side effects, nisin is widely used in the food industry, particularly as a food preservative. Here are some specific applications of nisin in canned foods:

1. Canned Foods That Can Use Nisin

·Fruit and Vegetable Cans: Nisin can gradually consume residual oxygen in canned foods, providing antioxidant and preservative effects, which helps maintain the color, texture, and flavor of the food. As a result, it is commonly used in canned fruits and vegetables such as mushrooms, apples, lemons, chestnuts, ginkgo, plums, lilies, oranges, walnuts, asparagus, green peas, lychees, and coconut juice, serving as a color stabilizer, quality improver, and preservative.

·Meat Cans: Nisin effectively inhibits many Gram-positive bacteria that cause food spoilage, such as Clostridium botulinum, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes. These bacteria are often found in meat cans and pose significant threats to food safety. Therefore, nisin plays a crucial role in preserving meat cans such as beef tongue, ham, and caviar.

·Fish Cans: Similar to meat cans, fish cans also face threats from spoilage bacteria and pathogens. Nisin can effectively inhibit the growth and reproduction of these microorganisms, enhancing the quality and safety of canned fish products.

2. Other Applications

Besides canned foods, nisin is also widely used in dairy products (such as yogurt, cheese, butter), alcoholic beverages, ready-to-eat foods, pet foods, and more. In these products, it similarly plays an important role in inhibiting pathogenic and spoilage bacteria, thereby extending shelf life.

3. Safety and Advantages

Nisin, as a natural food preservative, offers significant safety advantages. Once consumed, it is quickly hydrolyzed into amino acids under the body's physiological pH and the action of α-chymotrypsin, without altering the normal gut flora or producing antibiotic resistance or cross-resistance with other antibiotics. Additionally, nisin can lower sterilization temperatures and reduce sterilization time while effectively extending the shelf life of food, minimizing nutrient loss, and improving food quality.

Nisin's application in canned foods is extensive, including fruit and vegetable cans, meat cans, and fish cans. Its high efficiency, non-toxicity, safety, and absence of side effects make it a leading choice in the field of food preservation.