In-depth Knowledge of Food Bacterial Communities and Its Implications for Biopreservation

This work reviews the impact of high-throughput DNA sequencing on the understanding of bacterial communities in meat and seafood products. It highlights the discovery of previously unknown or unexpected species, evidence of microbial synergies and exclusions during shelf life, and questions the reliability of conventional culture methods for safety and use-by-date determination. The paper argues that these insights enable more effective and controlled use of protective cultures and supports revising microbiological criteria and regulations to enhance food preservation.