Liquid smoke is an effective antimicrobial against an array of bacterial
pathogens as demonstrated in both broth culture and food systems.
Commercial use of liquid smoke in the food industry may satisfy consumer
demand for all-natural foods while still maintaining their safety.
Liquid smoke is being used more frequently in preserving protein-based
foods, namely meat, fish, and cheese, because it imparts a pleasant
flavor and also has inhibitory effects on food borne pathogens. The
preservative effect of liquid smokes is achieved by antimicrobial and
antioxidant compounds such as aldehydes, carboxylic acids and phenols.
Liquid smoke also has several advantages over traditional smoking techniques
including ease of application, speed of smoking process, good reproducibility
of desired characteristics obtained in the final smoked
food, and omission of hazardous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons