Targeting biofilm resistance in meat production: Postbiotics as a clean-label alternative, a bibliometric analysis...

Biofilm-mediated contamination poses a persistent threat in the global meat industry, facilitating the survival of foodborne pathogens and reducing the effectiveness of conventional sanitation methods. This review highlights postbiotics, non-viable microbial derivatives and cellular components, including metabolic byproducts, peptides, organic acids, bacteriocins, biosurfactants, and exopolysaccharides which are emerging as multifunctional agents for biofilm control and meat preservation. Postbiotics exert their effects through diverse mechanisms including disrupting adhesion via surface conditioning and gene suppression, impairing EPS matrix formation by interfering with cyclic-di-GMP signaling, and inducing oxidative and metabolic stress in biofilm-forming cells. Unlike probiotics and prebiotics, postbiotics are stable under harsh processing conditions and deliver immediate antimicrobial action without requiring host interaction. Case studies demonstrate their efficacy in reducing Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Escherichia coli on meat surfaces, packaging materials, and equipment. In addition to microbial safety, postbiotics contribute to product quality by enhancing lipid stability, protein integrity, and color retention. A VOSviewer-based bibliometric analysis further maps global research trends, thematic evolution, and knowledge gaps in postbiotic applications within meat systems. By integrating bibliometric analysis with mechanistic insights, this review evaluates postbiotics as sustainable tools for biofilm control in the meat industry, while emphasizing the need to overcome challenges related to standardization, delivery systems, and regulatory approval to support their effective adoption in clean-label preservation strategies that safeguard meat safety, quality, and consumer acceptance.