Food borne pathogens are one of the most common yet concerning cause of illnesses around the globe. These microbes invade the body via food items, through numerous mediums of contamination and it is impossible to completely eradicate these organisms from food. Extensive research has been made regarding their treatment. Unfortunately, the only available treatment currently is by antibiotics. Recent exponential increase in antibiotic resistance and the side effect of synthetic compounds have established a need for alternate therapies that could be utilized either on their own or along with antibiotics to provide protection against food-borne diseases. The aim of this review is to provide information regarding some common food borne diseases, their current and possible natural treatment. It will include details regarding some common foodborne pathogens, the disease they cause, prevalence, manifestations and treatment of the respective disease. Some natural modes of potential treatment will be summarized, which including phytochemicals, derived from plants either as crude extracts or as purified form and Bacteriocins as microbial based treatment, obtained from various types of bacteria. The paper will describe their mechanism of action, classification, susceptible organisms, some antimicrobial compounds and producing organisms, application in food systems and as potential treatment. Along with that, synthetic treatment i.e., antibiotics will be discussed including the first-line treatment of some common food borne infections, prevalence and mechanism of resistance against antibiotics in the pathogens.

Multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens have become a major global health challenge and have severely threatened the health of society. Current conditions have become worse as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and infection rates in the future will rise. It is necessary to design, respond effectively, and take action to address these challenges by investigating new avenues. In this regard, the fabrication of metal NPs utilized by various methods, including green synthesis using mushroom, is highly versatile, cost-effective, eco-compatible, and superior. In contrast, biofabrication of metal NPs can be employed as a powerful weapon against MDR pathogens and have immense biomedical applications. In addition, the advancement in nanotechnology has made possible to modify the nanomaterials and enhance their activities. Metal NPs with biomolecules composite prevent the microbial adhesion and kills the microbial pathogens through biofilm formation. Bacteriocin is an excellent antimicrobial peptide that works well as an augmentation substance to boost the antimicrobial effects. As a result, we concentrate on the creation of new, eco-compatible mycosynthesized metal NPs with bacteriocin nanocomposite via electrostatic, covalent, or non-covalent bindings. The synergistic benefits of metal NPs with bacteriocin to combat MDR pathogens and COVID-19, as well as other biomedical applications, are discussed in this review. Moreover, the importance of the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) in risk analysis of manufactured metal nanocomposite nanomaterial and their future possibilities were also discussed.

Cancer is regarded as one of the most common and leading causes of death. Despite the availability of conventional treatments against cancer cells, current treatments are not the optimal treatment for cancer as they possess the possibility of causing various unwanted side effects to the body. As a result, this prompts a search for an alternative treatment without exhibiting any additional side effects. One of the promising novel therapeutic candidates against cancer is an antimicrobial peptide produced by bacteria called bacteriocin. It is a non-toxic peptide that is reported to exhibit potency against cancer cell lines. Experimental studies have outlined the therapeutic potential of bacteriocin against various cancer cell lines. In this review article, the paper focuses on the various bacteriocins and their cytotoxic effects, mode of action and efficacies as therapeutic agents against various cancer cell lines.

Listeria monocytogenes is an important food-borne pathogen, which could be detected in food, environmental and clinical samples. It contaminates food in any of the stages during production, processing, and storage, resulting in potential food safety issues. Traditional physical and chemical methods are effective in inhibiting the growth of L. monocytogenes and extending the shelf life of foods, however, the application of these methods usually results in undesirable damage to food quality. Recently, biological-based antimicrobial methods have attracted numerous attention due to their promising antimicrobial effects and ability to maintain food quality. The application of probiotics, as one of the biological based antimicrobial methods, has been widely reported that could effectively inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes. In this review, human listeriosis and the current contamination situation of L. monocytogenes in foods are summarized first. Then, the effects of probiotics on the growth, biofilm formation, and virulence of L. monocytogenes in foods are discussed. Furthermore, the inhibitory mechanisms of the probiotics and their metabolites against L. monocytogenes are highlighted. With a comprehensive understanding of the bacteriostatic effect of the probiotics, the latest applications of probiotics in dairy products, meat products, and fresh products are presented and discussed.

Viral infections are a major cause of severe, fatal diseases worldwide. Recently, these infections have increased due to demanding contextual circumstances, such as environmental changes, increased migration of people and product distribution, rapid demographic changes, and outbreaks of novel viruses, including the COVID-19 outbreak. Internal variables that influence viral immunity have received attention along with these external causes to avert such novel viral outbreaks. The gastrointestinal microbiome (GIM), particularly the present probiotics, plays a vital role in the host immune system by mediating host protective immunity and acting as an immune regulator. Bacteriocins possess numerous health benefits and exhibit antagonistic activity against enteric pathogens and immunobiotics, thereby inhibiting viral infections. Moreover, disrupting the homeostasis of the GIM/host immune system negatively affects viral immunity. The interactions between bacteriocins and infectious viruses, particularly in COVID-19, through improved host immunity and physiology are complex and have not yet been studied, although several studies have proven that bacteriocins influence the outcomes of viral infections. However, the complex transmission to the affected sites and siRNA defense against nuclease digestion lead to challenging clinical trials. Additionally, bacteriocins are well known for their biofunctional properties and underlying mechanisms in the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections. However, few studies have shown the role of probiotics-derived bacteriocin against viral infections. Thus, based on the results of the previous studies, this review lays out a road map for future studies on bacteriocins for treating viral infections.

Enterococcus spp. are Gram-positive, heterogeneous lactic acid bacteria inhabiting various environments. Several species of Enterococci are considered to be able to stimulate the immune system and play an important role in intestinal homeostasis. Some Enterococci can be used as probiotics. Some strains of E. faecium are components of pharmaceutical products used to treat diarrhea, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, it has been proved that they are responsible for food contamination, and are sometimes undesirable from the point of view of food technology. Additionally, the virulence and multi-drug resistance of Enterococci potentially pose a risk of an epidemic, especially in hospital environments. Moreover, there are indications of their negative role in colon tumorigenesis; however, some nterococci are proved to support immunotherapy in cancer treatment. In general, it can be concluded that this group of microorganisms, despite its nature, has properties that can be used to support cancer treatment-both aggressive chemotherapy and cutting-edge therapy targeting immune checkpoints (IC).

Dental diseases are among the common health issues experienced around the world. Dental caries is one of the most predominant oral diseases worldwide. Major factors associated with caries development include poor oral hygiene, the content of specific carbohydrates in the diet, dental biofilm formation, the cariogenic microbial load, reduction in salivary flow, insufficient fluoride exposure, gingival recession, genetic factors, and lack of personal attention to one\'s dental health. Several preventive measures have been implemented to reduce the risk of the development of caries. Probiotics are live microbes that when administered in suitable amounts confer health benefits on the host; they are recognized as potential adjunct therapeutic agents for several diseases. The present manuscript summarizes recent findings on the role of probiotics in dental caries prevention and the possible mechanisms of probiotic effects. Review of the literature indicates the regular consumption of probiotic products significantly reduced the risk of caries by inhibiting cariogenic bacteria and enriching commensal microbes in the oral cavity. Buffering the salivary pH, production of bacteriocin and enzymes (dextranase, mutanase, and urease), the capacity of competing for the adhesion and colonization on tooth surfaces are the possible mechanisms behind the beneficial effect of probiotics. Further studies are necessary to address the efficacy of long-term probiotic supplementation on the control of dental diseases and the influence of childhood probiotic supplementation on the risk of caries development.

Most of the foodborne microbial diseases are linked to foods of animal origin such as milk, meat, and poultry. Nowadays, the presence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens in foods is becoming an increasingly public health concern worldwide due to the overuse of antimicrobial drugs in animal feed. MDR pathogens can enter the food chain by posing a significant risk to both animals and consumers. MDR pathogens causing infections are untreatable due to their resistance to various antibiotics, primarily cephalosporin and carbapenems and to their extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing capability. In addition, foods of animal origin and food-related environments can be likely vehicles for spreading of multi-drug resistance genes, which accelerates the thriving of global antibiotic resistance. This paper reviews the role of foods of animal origin as a vehicle for MDR pathogens, stressing the contribution of food processes, environments, and storage conditions in dissemination and reduction of antimicrobial resistances (AMRs). Controlling the growth of MDR microorganisms and limiting the transmission/expression of AMR genes in food ecosystems could be an effective mitigation strategy, putting the focus on food processes as a part of the solution for AMR in foods. Bioprotective cultures are also a promising and environmentally friendly technology to reduce the incidence of MDR pathogens, though caution is taken as microbial starters and probiotics can also carry AMR. Finally, applying Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) and predictive microbiology, within a Risk Assessment framework, is key to get insight into those mechanisms and conditions along the food chain favoring or reducing AMR.

The bacteria residing in the gut environment do play a pivotal role in metabolic activities of the host. The metabolites produced by these bacteria affect the physiology and health of the host. The gut bacteria are exposed to environmental conditions where multiple factors such as lifestyle, stress, antibiotics, host genetics and infections have an influence on them. In case of pathogenesis of a disease, the gut bacterial composition is altered which leads to a diseased state. This stage is due to colonization of bacterial pathogens in the gut environment. The pathological condition can be alleviated by administering probiotic strains into the gut environment. The probiotic strains produce therapeutic molecules such as amino acids, vitamins, bacteriocins, enzymes, immunomodulatory compounds and short-chain fatty acids. This review discusses recent evidences of the impact of bioactive molecules produced by probiotic bacteria and their mechanism of action in the gut environment to maintain homeostasis and health of the host without any effect on beneficial bacteria sharing the same niche. In addition, the manufacturing challenges of probiotic products for various applications are discussed here.

Bacteriocin is a proteinaceous biomolecule produced by bacteria (both Gram-positive and Gram-negative) that exhibits antimicrobial activity against closely related species, and food-borne pathogens. It has recently gained importance and attracted the attention of several researchers looking to produce it from various substrates and bacterial strains. This ushers in a new era of food preservation where the use of bacteriocin in food products will be an alternative to chemical preservatives, and heat treatment which are understood to cause unwanted side effects, and reduce sensory and nutritional quality. However, this new market depends on the success of novel downstream separation schemes from various types of crude feedstocks which are both effective and economic. This review focuses on the downstream separation of bacteriocin from various sources using both conventional and novel techniques. Finally, recommendations for future interesting areas of research that need to be pursued are highlighted.