Mechanobactericidal Nanotopographies for food industry: A promising strategy for eradicating foodborne pathogens - progress and challenges

Deepak Patil

Department of Production Engineering, National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli, 620015, India

Nowadays, food preservation, quality maintenance, and safety are major emerging concerns in the food industry. Methods for removing pathogens from the outside surfaces of food products would be an effective way to prevent bacterial contamination. Nanotopographies found on natural surfaces have been shown to mechanically damage the membranes of foodborne bacteria. Thus, using bioinspired mechanobactericidal nanostructures in food packaging and processing materials has the potential to lower surface bacterial contamination while increasing food safety. However, putting this concept into practice remains a challenge. This review discussed recent advances in understanding mechanobactericidal mechanisms, issues concerning the durability of nanotopography under external forces, and the scalability of nanostructures over larger areas. Furthermore, this review provides insight into critical research on the long-term efficiency of mechanobactericidal nanostructures and their potential for implementation in the food industry.