Journal of Food Protection
In recent years, science and technology have developed to a considerable level. However, food contamination by food-borne pathogens is still widespread in many countries around the world, and food safety is a major global public health issue. Therefore, novel preservatives that can guarantee safer food are high in demand. Contrary to artificial food preservatives, tea polyphenols (TP) are getting wide attention as food additives for being “green”, “safe” and “healthy”. The sources of TP are wide, and the purification technology is sophisticated. Compared with other natural antibacterial agents, its antibacterial effect is more stable. It is an excellent natural antibacterial agent. Here, this review systematically summarizes the important chemical components of TP and discusses their antibacterial mechanisms against various foodborne pathogens. In addition, the potential application areas of TP are also discussed. It can provide a theoretical basis for the in-depth study of TP.
FoodWorld 