Temperature has a significant impact on the antibacterial activity of natamycin, and this impact is reflected in multiple aspects, as follows:
Low temperature enhances antibacterial activity and ensures stability and durability: In a relatively low-temperature environment (such as the refrigeration temperature of 0 - 4°C), the antibacterial activity of natamycin performs well and is relatively stable and durable. This is because in a low-temperature environment, the growth and metabolic rate of microorganisms slows down, and the fluidity of the cell membrane decreases. Natamycin can more effectively bind to the sterol substances on the cell membrane, thereby inhibiting the function of the cell membrane and preventing the growth and reproduction of microorganisms. For example, adding natamycin to dairy products, meat products, and other foods stored under refrigeration conditions can effectively inhibit the growth of fungi for a long time and maintain the quality of the food. Low temperature can also reduce the degradation of natamycin itself, maintain its effective concentration in the food, and further ensure the exertion of its antibacterial activity.
Antibacterial activity can be maintained but changes at room temperature: In a room temperature environment (usually referring to 20 - 25°C), natamycin can still maintain a certain level of antibacterial activity and can inhibit the growth of microorganisms for a certain period of time. However, as time goes by, due to the relatively active metabolism of microorganisms at room temperature, the antibacterial effect of natamycin may gradually weaken. At the same time, natamycin itself may also be affected by some environmental factors (such as oxygen, humidity, etc.) and undergo slow changes at room temperature. For example, it may undergo a certain degree of degradation, which will also have a certain impact on its antibacterial activity. But as long as the storage conditions are appropriate (such as sealed and dry), natamycin can still exert a certain antibacterial effect for several weeks or even months at room temperature.
High temperature reduces antibacterial activity and may even lead to inactivation: When the temperature rises to a certain extent, the antibacterial activity of natamycin will significantly decrease. High temperature will destroy the molecular structure of natamycin, change its active ingredients, thereby reducing the binding ability with the sterol substances on the cell membrane and weakening the antibacterial effect. Under relatively high temperature conditions above 60°C, the degradation rate of natamycin will accelerate, the effective concentration will rapidly decrease, and the antibacterial activity will also decrease accordingly. When the temperature is even higher (such as exceeding its tolerance limit temperature), natamycin may completely lose its activity and fail to exert its antibacterial effect. For example, in some food processing processes that require high-temperature treatment, if natamycin is added during the high-temperature stage, or if the food is stored in a high-temperature environment, natamycin may not be able to effectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms.
The influence of temperature on the antibacterial activity of natamycin is complex. In practical applications, in order to fully exert the antibacterial effect of natamycin, it is necessary to reasonably control the temperature according to the storage and processing conditions of the food to ensure the safety and quality of the food.