The Need:

In the culinary realm of fermented foods, there is a critical need to address the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in fermented foods. Representing a substantial risk to public health by fostering antibiotic resistance in consumers, awareness and concern around antibiotic-resistant bacteria in fermented foods issue is rapidly increasing. Within the fermented foods space there is an unmet need for a reliable and standardized solution to prevent the presence of these antibiotic-resistant bacteria in fermented foods.

The Technology

OSU researchers have carefully curated a collection of bacterial fermentation strains that retain susceptibility to antibiotics while still producing quality fermented foods. Applying these bacterial strains after sterilization with non-heat-based techniques allows for the production of safe fermented foods without compromising product quality. This groundbreaking process revolutionizes food fermentation by ensuring fermented food products are free of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Benefits/Advantages:

• Working with our bacterial fermenter strains prevents the introduction of antibiotic-resistant bacteria into fermented foods, allowing customers to reap the probiotic benefits of fermented foods without the risk of introducing antibiotic-resistance into their current gut bacteria.
• Initial sterilization of raw foods provides better product quality, consistency, and safety by eliminating any food-borne pathogens and spoilage microbes, ensuring more control over what bacteria are going into the fermentation process.
• No-heat sterilization means preservation of the taste and texture of raw materials.
• Our collection of fermenting bacterial strains are effective for fermentation of various food products (fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, seafood, etc.).

Commercial Application:

• Fermented produce (e.g. kimchi, sauerkraut, alcohol)
• Fermented dairy products (e.g. cheeses, kefir, yogurt)
• Fermented meats and seafoods (e.g. fish sauce, salami)
• Fermented sauces or purees (e.g. miso, soy sauce)
• Fermented beverages (e.g. beer, wine, kombucha)