Naturally Occuring Host Defense Peptides and Their Potential Use as Novel Food Packaging Preservatives

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: A main consumer concern regarding food additives is increasing antibiotics resistance. Innovative strategies, such as the use of natural antibiotics is therefore gaining increased consideration as a means of "naturally" controlling the growth of microbes that can cause disease in ready-to-eat foods. Previous studies in our lab focused on natural antibiotics from animal origin which possess high potency against gastrointestinal pathogens, including /L. monocytogenes, E coli, and Salmonella, /three of the most common microbes that can cause gastrointestinal disease. This proposal is focused on the assessment of different natural antibiotics from animal origin used as novel natural antimicrobial food packing preservatives. The research therefore has immense potential of significantly improving food safety and health for people across Kansas and through-out the US. <P>APPROACH: The proposed Action Plan covers the following dual rationale: Firstly, the experimental studies will establish the physicochemical characteristics, including antimicrobial activity, of host defense peptides from different species, and assess their application as novel natural food packing preservatives. Secondly, the results derived from this Action Plan are in direct accordance with Kansas State University's commitment to research in food safety and security (http://nabc.ksu.edu/and http://fss.k-state.edu/), and will thus help to further expose one of K-State's areas of excellence. Secondly, Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs, or HDPs) are central components of innate immunity with potent broad-spectrum bactericidal activities, and naturally occurring proteins present in virtually all living species across the plant and animal kingdoms. As such these important peptides play a key role in the body's immediate inborn defense system acting to fight off invading pathogens -- a feature which makes them immediately attractive as model molecules for development of novel natural food preservatives among others. The goals of the study includes screening for novel HDPs in select animal species, and assessment of the biochemical and physical properties of the identified compounds - including the spectrum and potency towards common food borne-pathogens. The Action Plan will test if naturally occurring antimicrobial compounds (HDPs) can be successfully incorporated into food packing material to improve its functionality (i.e. antimicrobial effect). The study will also compare these HDPs to antimicrobial agents currently used by the food packing industry. The project therefore has a great potential to help secure safer foods in Kansas as well as other states.