Natural Products Targeting Foodborne Bacterial Biofilms: Emerging Strategies for Food Preservation and Safety

Foodborne bacterial biofilms represent a major challenge to food preservation because of their remarkable tolerance to conventional sanitizers, antimicrobial agents, and environmental stresses. Their persistence on food-contact surfaces contributes to recurrent contamination, food spoilage, reduced shelf life, and the transmission of foodborne pathogens, highlighting the need for effective and sustainable alternatives to conventional antimicrobial strategies. Natural products have emerged as promising antibiofilm agents owing to their diverse antimicrobial activities and compatibility with the growing demand for clean-label food preservation. This review summarizes current advances in the application of natural products for controlling foodborne bacterial biofilms. The major classes of natural bioactive compounds discussed include plant-derived phytochemicals, essential oils, antimicrobial peptides, bacteriocins, bee-derived products, and other naturally occurring molecules with demonstrated antibiofilm activity. Particular emphasis is placed on the molecular mechanisms through which these compounds inhibit bacterial adhesion, disrupt extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) formation, interfere with quorum sensing, impair membrane integrity, and modulate stress responses involved in biofilm persistence. Emerging delivery technologies, including nanoformulations, encapsulation systems, edible coatings, and active food packaging, that enhance the stability, bioavailability, and practical applicability of natural products are also examined. Finally, current challenges, regulatory considerations, and future research priorities associated with translating natural antibiofilm compounds into effective and sustainable strategies for improving food preservation and food safety are discussed.