Newfound Natural Agent That Kills Food Bacteria

Dan O’Sullivan, a microbiologist from University of Minnesota, discovered a natural occurring agent called bisin that kills the bacteria that causes food to rot.  Bisin is a naturally occurring compound produced by certain types of bacteria that helps decrease the growth of bacteria including E. coli, listeria, and salmonella.  This could lead to foods staying fresh for a longer period of time such as opened wine, sandwiches, and salad dressings.

Fox News reported that the discovery of bisin could be a solution to food waste and could lead to reduction of amount of food thrown away and wasted each year.   O’Sullivan said that the use of bisin “doesn’t compromise nutrient quality” because they are not adding a chemical but a natural ingredient.  Bisin is chemically related to nisin, a compound used to keep processed cheese sterile and edible for a very long period of time.  It does not need to be pharmaceutically tested.  The bisin compound could possibly be marketed soon.