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Biofilm–microplastic interactions in food safety: mechanisms, risks, and control strategies
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This review investigates how microplastics in the food industry serve as surfaces where bacterial biofilms can form, creating complexes that resist cleaning and disinfection. Researchers found that these biofilm-microplastic combinations can shield harmful bacteria and promote the spread of antibiotic-resistance genes. The study evaluates strategies for preventing and controlling this form of contamination in food systems.
The pervasive use of plastics in the food industry has led to significant microplastic contamination, heightening food safety concerns. Microplastics not only infiltrate food systems but also provide optimal substrates for biofilm formation due to their hydrophobic and rough surface properties, which enhance microbial attachment. These biofilm-microplastic complexes protect embedded bacteria from disinfection efforts and facilitate the dissemination of pathogens and antibiotic-resistance genes, posing substantial risks to human health. This review investigates the mechanisms of biofilm formation on various plastic materials and elucidates how these interactions contribute to antimicrobial resistance and contamination in food systems. It also evaluates preventive and remedial strategies, including the development of alternative packaging materials, advanced cleaning protocols, and detection techniques for monitoring biofilm-microplastic complexes. Understanding these interactions is crucial for developing targeted interventions to mitigate contamination risks and enhance food safety and security. By integrating recent findings and proposing innovative strategies, this review aims to guide future research and inform policy development, supporting safer and more sustainable food production practices.
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This literature review (Part 2 of a series) examines how biofilms formed on micro- and nanoplastic surfaces in the food chain can serve as vectors for pathogenic bacteria, their toxins, and antibiotic resistance genes — potentially increasing foodborne disease risk beyond what bare microplastic particles would cause.
Environmental Health and Safety Implications of the Interplay Between Microplastics and the Residing Biofilm
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This review examines the two-way relationship between microplastics and biofilms, the communities of microorganisms that quickly colonize plastic surfaces in the environment. Biofilms on microplastics can harbor harmful bacteria, concentrate toxic chemicals, and help spread antibiotic resistance genes through water systems. Understanding this interplay is important for human health because these contaminated biofilm-coated microplastics can enter drinking water and food supplies.
Biofilm formation on microplastics and interactions with antibiotics, antibiotic resistance genes and pathogens in aquatic environment
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This review explains how microplastics in waterways develop bacterial biofilms on their surfaces that can harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria and help spread antibiotic resistance genes to new environments. This is concerning for human health because these resistant microbes could eventually reach people through drinking water or seafood consumption.
The Importance of Biofilms to the Fate and Effects of Microplastics
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This review examines how biofilms — communities of microorganisms that form on microplastic surfaces — affect the fate and ecological effects of plastic pollution. Biofilm formation alters how microplastics are transported, ingested, and degraded in the environment, and the plastisphere can harbor pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria that may pose risks to human health.
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