Nisin

Brief Overview

Nisin, also known as E234, is a polycyclic antibacterial peptide that is widely used as a food preservative. The nisin molecule contains 34 amino acid residues. When used, it is dissolved in water or liquid, where it has different solubilities in different pH value. and, it almost does not dissolve under alkaline conditions. Essentially, it is a natural food preservative with efficient, non-toxic, safe and no side effects. Nisin can be digested to amino acids by protease in the digestive tract, leaving no residue, no effect to human probiotics and no cross-resistance with other antibiotics.

Manufacturing Process

Nisin is produced by microbial fermentation in the exponential growth phase of Lactococcus lactis, which is a recognized starter culture in dairy products.

Food Industry

Nisin is a natural preservative which is used in various foods to increase its shelf life and inhibit bacteria growth. These food products include meat products, dairy products, canned seafood, drinks, fruit drinks, liquid eggs and egg products, condiments, winemaking, baked goods and convenience food.  

Others

It is also employed as a selective agent in microbiological media for the isolation of gram-negative bacteria, yeast and moulds. Nisin has also been used in food packaging applications and can serve as a preservative by controlled release onto the food surface from the polymer packaging.