The use of Natamycin

Natamycin is primarily composed of natamycin and lactose and plays an important role in the food, pharmaceutical, and other industries. Below is a detailed overview of its applications:  

I. Food Industry  

1. Dairy Products  

Cheese: During cheese production, natamycin solution can be sprayed on the cheese surface to effectively inhibit mold growth, preventing spoilage. This helps maintain the flavor, texture, and appearance of cheese while extending its shelf life.  

Yogurt: Adding an appropriate amount of natamycin helps prevent the growth of yeasts and molds during storage and sales, reducing issues such as package swelling, discoloration, and off-flavors, thus maintaining yogurt quality and taste.  

2. Baked Goods  

Bread: The addition of natamycin in bread-making inhibits mold growth during storage, helping to maintain softness and freshness while extending the shelf life.  

Pastries: In products such as mooncakes and cakes, natamycin prevents spoilage caused by mold contamination after packaging, preserving the color, texture, and taste of pastries while ensuring food safety.  

3. Meat Products  

Sausages: During sausage processing, natamycin-lactose solution can be used for dipping or spraying to inhibit mold and yeast growth on the surface, preventing microbial spoilage. This helps preserve the flavor and quality of sausages and extends their storage life.  

Ham: Natamycin can be applied to ham surfaces to prevent mold growth and unpleasant odors, maintaining ham’s color, texture, and taste.  

4. Beverages  

Fruit Juice: Adding an appropriate amount of natamycin in fruit juice production can inhibit yeast and mold growth, preventing spoilage, cloudiness, and off-flavors, thereby preserving its freshness and taste while extending its shelf life.  

Wine: During wine fermentation and storage, natamycin helps control mold and yeast, preventing microbial contamination that can lead to spoilage, ensuring the quality and flavor of the wine.  

II. Pharmaceutical Industry  

1. Treatment of Local Infections  

Skin Infections: Natamycin creams or ointments are used to treat fungal skin infections such as ringworm, jock itch, and athlete’s foot. By inhibiting fungal growth, they help relieve itching, redness, and peeling, promoting healing.  

Eye Infections: Natamycin eye drops or ointments are used for treating fungal eye infections, such as fungal keratitis and conjunctivitis. They effectively kill or suppress fungal pathogens, reduce inflammation, and protect vision.  

2. Treatment of Mucosal Infections  

Oral Infections: Available in lozenges or mouthwash, natamycin is used to treat oral candidiasis (thrush). It directly acts on the oral mucosa, inhibiting fungal growth, alleviating pain and ulcers, and promoting mucosal healing.  

Vaginal Infections: Natamycin vaginal suppositories or gels are used for treating vaginal yeast infections. They release natamycin locally to inhibit yeast growth, restore microbial balance, and relieve symptoms such as itching and abnormal discharge.  

III. Other Fields  

1. Animal Feed Industry  

Natamycin is added to animal feed to prevent mold contamination during storage, reducing the production of mycotoxins. This helps maintain feed quality and safety, promoting healthy animal growth and improving livestock farming efficiency.  

2. Cosmetics Industry  

As a preservative, natamycin is added to cosmetics such as creams, lotions, and shampoos to inhibit the growth of molds and yeasts, preventing product spoilage. This extends the shelf life of cosmetics while ensuring skin safety for users.  

By leveraging its antifungal properties and safety, natamycin continues to be widely used across food preservation, medical treatments, and other industries.