Broad‐spectrum antimicrobial efficacy of Pediococcus acidilactici LAB001 against food spoilage and toxigenic bacteria and fungi

The present study aims to explore the dual broad‐spectrum antibacterial and antifungal potentials of Pediococcus acidilactici LAB001 (GenBank Ac. No.: FJ457014) against some food spoilage bacteria and fungi. The strain produced the highest amount of bacteriocin in a low‐cost TGE + Tween 80 + Buffer medium within 24 hr fermentation at 30°C. The bacteriocin causes lethality to spoilage bacteria with the loss of essential solute like K⁺. The sublethal injury by EDTA‐bacteriocin (20 mM EDTA with 2,000 AU/ml) treatment for 1 hr caused resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhimurium MTCC98 strains to bacteriocin sensitive strains. The strain also had broad‐spectrum inhibitory efficacy against the food spoilage and toxigenic fungal pathogens of fresh and processed foods. Therefore, selective characterization and mass‐scale production of these antimicrobial compounds could substitute conventional synthetic food preservatives in many fresh and fermented food products to extend their shelf life. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The use of lactic acid bacteria for food fermentation and preservation has a long‐standing scientific validation. However, their uses greatly rely on the degree of fermenting and preservation aptitudes of the strains. This needs to search and explore new strains of LAB for these beneficial attributes. Pediococcus spp. are such an important group of LAB species that have multifaceted uses in food and feed fermentation and industrial exploitation. The present study reports on the dual broad‐spectrum efficacy of P. acidilactici LAB001 (GenBank Ac. No.: FJ457014) against the food spoilage and toxigenic bacterial and fungal strains through bacteriocin and antifungal compound production. The large‐scale production and application of the antimicrobial compounds from this strain can be used in food and feed preservation.