Preparation and properties of gum arabic cross-link binding nisin microparticles

Nisin is a small cationic peptide composed of 34 amino acid residues, it exhibits a wide spectrum antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, but nisin has the disadvantages of poor stability and short duration of antibacterial activity. In order to improve the stability of nisin during food processing and storage period, the gum arabic (GA) is used to get GA-nisin microparticles. The analysis of zeta potential, SEM and FT-IR were used to characterize the combination of GA and nisin, test the antibacterial activity on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, the bactericidal effect of GA-nisin microparticles decreased within 24 h compare to free nisin, however, GA-nisin microparticles after 121 °C treatment for 10 min, the activity loss rate is less than free nisin and has better sustained antibacterial effect at 25 °C. The results shown GA-nisin microparticles have better high-temperature stability and sustained bactericidal ability than the free nisin.