Enzymatic dispersal of biofilms in the food industry: mechanisms, applications, and future prospects

The formation of biofilms by pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms is an ongoing challenge in the food industry, because it leads to contamination, antimicrobial resistance, and recurrent outbreaks that compromise food safety and quality. The conventional chemical and physical strategies often fail to prevent biofilm formation because of the presence of extracellular polymeric substances that protect embedded cells. This necessitates the development of innovative solutions to ensure effective hygiene in food products. Therefore, this work aims to determine the role of enzymatic dispersal as a targeted strategy in degrading biofilm matrices and enhancing microbial eradication, with an emphasis on its recent applications in the food industry. In this work, we summarize enzymatic dispersal of biofilms, discuss the underlying mechanisms of action, and evaluate its practical integration into industrial cleaning protocols. By highlighting the ability of enzymes such as glycosidases, proteases, and DNases to disrupt the structural integrity of biofilms and intensify the action of sanitizers, this work provides important insights into the potential of enzymatic approaches as sustainable, eco-friendly alternatives to the conventional methods. This ultimately improves food safety management and reduces biofilm-mediated risks in production environments. It directly addresses the major, ongoing challenge of microbial biofilms in food production, a primary source of contamination, spoilage, and foodborne illness outbreaks that have significant consequences on the public health and economy. Future work should focus on optimizing enzyme cocktails (combination of glycosidases, proteases, and DNases) designed to disrupt the biofilm matrices formed by prevalent foodborne pathogens.