New aspects for the application of nisin to food products based on its mode of action
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TL;DR
The application of not only nisin but also virginiamycin increased the alcoholic yield and reduced the numbers of the lactic acid bacteria in the fermenting mashes without any influence on the growth of yeasts.
Abstract
The field of the application of nisin as preservative in food technology is not only restricted by the special chemical properties and the narrow antimicrobial spectrum, but also by the composition of the foods. In agreement with the in vitro effect of polar lipids on nisin [Studies on the mode of action of nisin; S. Henning, R. Metz and W.P. Hammes (1986) Int. J. Food Microbiol. 3, 121–134] the application of emulsifiers in foods decreased the antimicrobial efficacy of the antibiotic. Besides this limitation our studies opened a new field for the application of antibiotics in that part of fermentation technology dealing with the production of spirits like fruit brandies. The application of not only nisin but also virginiamycin increased the alcoholic yield from 41.6 g/l to 47.4 g/l with nisin and 50.6 g/l with virginiamycin. Both antibiotics reduced the numbers of the lactic acid bacteria in the fermenting mashes without any influence on the growth of yeasts. The flavour of the Grafensteiner apple brandy was best with virginiamycin which is an antibiotic with common application in the field of agriculture.