Approximately 20% of food in the world is wasted by spoilage
and intoxication caused by mold, food-borne pathogens and bacteria.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium
glaucum are common fungi causing food spoilage via secreting
lipase and proteinase. Food preservatives can inhibit the growth of
bacteria to extend shelf life of food, and have been widely used in
the food industry. With the increasing concern of food safety issues
related to teratogenicity and carcinogenicity on the usage of conventional
chemical preservatives such as nitrite, benzoate and
sorbate, natural anti-microbial agents have received great attention
due to their well-documented safety profiles.