Caffeine as a natural inhibitor of Salmonella biofilms in fruit juices.

This article focuses on evaluating caffeine as a natural antimicrobial agent to control Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium biofilms in fruit juice substrates. The study found that caffeine inhibited biofilm formation and disrupted pre-formed biofilms in both culture media and grape and apple juices, with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 9.37 mM for S. Typhimurium and 18.75 mM for S. Enteritidis. Caffeine also reduced exopolysaccharide production and bacterial motility, key factors in biofilm stability and virulence. Microscopic analyses confirmed caffeine-induced structural degradation of biofilms, suggesting its potential application in food processing to enhance safety by controlling Salmonella contamination. Further research is recommended to assess caffeine's effectiveness in industrial settings and its impact on sensory and nutritional qualities of treated foods.