title: Investigation of the effectiveness of Ascopyrone P as a food preservative.
abstract: Ascopyrone P (APP), a novel antibacterial from fungi, was evaluated as a food preservative. Efficacy was generally assessed by comparing the time taken for test strains to grow to 10(6) CFU/g in food +/- APP. In chilled chicken soup, 2000 mg kg-1 APP prevented Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Salmonella and Escherichia coli reaching this threshold for >60 days. Good activity was also observed at 500-1000 mg kg-1 but not against L. monocytogenes. No activity was observed against Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Activity was reduced at 20 degrees C, although 2000 mg kg-1 was still effective against B. cereus and P. fluorescens. APP was less effective in chilled cooked meat systems and ineffective in raw meat. In a cooked meat system at 8 degrees C, bacteriostatic effect was generally observed at 2000 mg kg-1 against Salmonella typhimurium, E. coli and P. fluorescens but not against L. monocytogenes or Lactobacillus sake. Activity against Gram-negative enteric bacteria was enhanced by low temperature. In milk, 2000 mg l-1 was effective against P. fluorescens at chilled but not ambient temperature. APP was ineffective against yeasts and the mould Byssochlamys in apple juice. A minimum of 2000 mg kg-1 APP would appear to be necessary for antibacterial efficacy in food, although low-temperature storage may help. Observed variations in sensitivity may be related to APP stability, which decreases >pH 5.5. Toxicology testing is needed before consideration of APP for food use.
authors.affiliation: Danisco, Innovation Department, 15 North Street, Beaminster, Dorset, DT8 3DZ, UK. linda.thomas@danisco.com
authors.forename: Linda V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Ingram
authors.forename: Shukun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Joss
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delves-Broughton
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D005520:Food Preservatives / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005520:Food Preservatives