Targeting bacterial signaling pathways: a paradigm shift in antimicrobial strategies for food safety

Foodborne bacterial contamination represents a critical challenge to global food safety and public health. Pathogenic bacteria cause millions of foodborne illnesses annually, while spoilage organisms lead to substantial economic losses through product deterioration. Nearly one in ten people worldwide contract foodborne illnesses each year, resulting in approximately 420,000 deaths annually. US$ 110 billion is lost each year in productivity and medical expenses resulting from unsafe food in low and middle-income countries. Conventional preservation methods face limitations including quality degradation, residual toxicity, and growing consumer demand for clean-label solutions. Bacterial signaling pathways orchestrate virulence, biofilm formation, and stress adaptation, offering novel anti-virulence targets that preserve food quality while minimizing microbial hazards. This review systematically examines three major bacterial signaling pathways as novel targets for food antimicrobial strategies. Emerging intervention platforms are evaluated, including computational biology, nanotechnology, synthetic biology, natural QS inhibitors, and enzymatic degradation strategies, with emphasis on practical applications in cold chain, fermented foods, and meat products. Targeting signaling pathways demonstrates significant potential for controlling pathogens. Key challenges include signal molecule stability in food matrices, bioavailability optimization. Multi-target intervention strategies combining computational screening, natural inhibitors, and engineered delivery systems represent the most promising direction for next-generation food antimicrobials.