Expectations and Applications of Natural Antimicrobials to Foods : A Guidance Document for Users , Suppliers , Research and Development , and Regulatory Agencies

Efficient use of natural antimicrobials in food is predicated on the proper implementation of hurdle technology. These substances are meant to increase the robustness of existing food safety or quality assurance programs, not to correct or mask poor practices. The objective of this paper is to outline the important aspects of application of natural antimicrobials to foods, including selection of antimicrobial, determination of target microorganisms, efficacy testing against target microorganisms in vitro and in foods, and issues that must be addressed in the commercial application of the antimicrobial. Because natural antimicrobials are secondary hurdles, expectations of them must be realistic, and considerations should include other aspects, such as effect on sensory and quality attributes of the food, cost (and cost-in-use) of the antimicrobial, and regulatory and labeling considerations, in addition to efficacy against target microorganisms in the food matrix. The “idea-to-launch” business framework and governance is recommended for pairing of a potential antimicrobial with a complex food matrix, along with clearly defined objectives, inputs, outputs, and technical success criteria and business decision criteria. To help quantify the benefits of hurdles, including antimicrobials, we propose use of the “Food Protection Objective” (FPO), which is defined as the acceptable level of microbiological quality and/or safety at the moment of consumption or at the end of shelf life of a food. Expectations and Applications of Natural Antimicrobials to Foods: A Guidance Document for Users, Suppliers, Research and Development, and Regulatory Agencies