An outlook for food sterilization technology: targeting the outer membrane of foodborne gram-negative pathogenic bacteria

Foodborne pathogenic gram-negative bacteria are major causes of diseases in human populations worldwide. Removing these infectious bacteria are mainly done using appropriate sterilization technologies. One target for sterilization is the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria which are crucial for growth and survival. The outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria is composed of outer membrane protein (OMPs), Lipproteins (Lpp) and Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which depend on specific transmembrane transport systems, such as β-Barrel Assembly Machinery (Bam), Localization of Lipoprotein (Lol) and lipopolysaccharide transport system (Lpt). In this outlook paper, we review, initially, standard sterilization technologies in the field of food safety. Then the novel sterilizing agents targeting outer membrane biogenesis in gram-negative bacteria will be summarized and highlighted. We hope this review can provide new insights for developing novel food sterilization technologies.