Anti-biofouling Materials: Construction and Application in the Food Field

The widespread presence of foodborne pathogenic bacteria biofilms in the food supply chain has significantly negative impacts on food microbial safety, posing a serious threat to the health and safety of consumers. Weakening the interaction between food contact surfaces and biological pollutants and reducing biological adhesion by changing the physicochemical properties of food contact surfaces can effectively reduce the formation of biofilms, thereby ensuring the microbial safety of food. This article summarizes recent progress in research on anti-biofouling materials. First, the application of the DLVO theory to quantify the interaction between biological pollutants and material surfaces is reviewed. Then, this paper classifies the existing anti-biofouling materials into two categories: hydrophobic and hydrophilic, and summarizes the typical methods to construct each type of anti-biofouling materials and their anti-biofouling mechanisms. Finally, based on the current status of the application of anti-biofouling materials in the food industry, an outlook on future development directions is provided. This article aims to provide theoretical guidance for the development of new antibiofouling materials in order to better ensure the microbial safety of food.