Lignocellulosic and cellulose-derived carriers in biofilm-based food fermentations: Food-contact design, hydrodynamics and validation.

Distinct lignocellulosic and cellulose-derived carriers are essential for safe, effective biofilm-based food fermentations, with specific design and validation criteria identified.

• Why it matters: Ensuring carriers retain microorganisms while maintaining food safety, sensory quality, and cleanability addresses critical gaps in fermentation technology and consumer safety.
• What they did: The review analyzes various carrier classes, their microstructure, surface chemistry, and interactions with microbial biofilms, focusing on acetic acid bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and fungi, and develops configuration-specific design and validation guidelines.
• The result: This framework guides carrier optimization by emphasizing validation of migration, sensory impact, cleaning, microbial safety, and hydrodynamics, enabling safer, more reliable biofilm-based food fermentations.