Nisin can help reduce the loss of nutritional components in canned foods to some extent, as it effectively inhibits Gram-positive bacteria that cause food spoilage, particularly spore-forming bacteria such as Bacillus and Clostridium species, which are typically highly heat-resistant. Traditional sterilization methods require high temperatures and long durations to eliminate these bacteria, but the addition of nisin can lower sterilization temperatures and shorten sterilization times. High-temperature heating is one of the main reasons for the loss of nutrients in canned foods, including vitamins C and B, which are prone to decomposition at high temperatures. By reducing the sterilization temperature and time, nisin helps minimize the loss of these nutrients.
In addition to its preservative effects, nisin can also improve food quality. It does not alter the color, aroma, flavor, or texture of the food, allowing canned products to maintain their original taste while extending shelf life. The addition of nisin enables longer preservation under hot conditions without excessive reliance on high-temperature sterilization, further reducing nutrient loss.
Nisin is an efficient, non-toxic, safe, and side-effect-free natural food preservative. After consumption, it is quickly hydrolyzed into amino acids under physiological pH conditions and by α-chymotrypsin in the human body, without affecting the normal gut flora or causing resistance issues seen with other antibiotics. Since nisin can reduce the intensity of heat treatment, it helps save energy, lower production costs, and minimize environmental impact.
By lowering sterilization temperature and time, improving food quality, extending shelf life, and enhancing safety and environmental friendliness, nisin contributes to reducing nutrient loss in canned foods, making it widely applicable in the canned food industry.