Innovative bioproduction of natural food preservative 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde by evolved Limosilactobacillus reuteri NK45
- Food Chem. 2026 May 30:512:148955. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.148955.
- 1. Microbial Biotechnology Research Center, Jeonbuk Branch Institute, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Jeongeup, Jeonbuk 56212, Republic of Korea.
- 2. Department of Integrative Food, Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea.
- 3. Microbial Biotechnology Research Center, Jeonbuk Branch Institute, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Jeongeup, Jeonbuk 56212, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: [email protected].
Limosilactobacillus reuteri produces 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde (3-HPA), a compound with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and promise as a natural food preservative. Using adaptive laboratory evolution, we developed L. reuteri NK45, a strain with enhanced 3-HPA tolerance. Ascorbic acid supplementation mitigated 3-HPA-induced stress, allowing L. reuteri NK45 to maintain high viability and sustain 3-HPA production during glycerol bioconversion. Under established conditions (800 mM glycerol, 100 mM ascorbic acid, 1 mM cyanocobalamin, 30 °C, OD600 = 100, 2 h), L. reuteri NK45 achieved a record 3-HPA titer of 592.0 ± 3.8 mM. The product showed strong antimicrobial activity against foodborne and pathogenic Microorganisms, with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 1-3 mM. These findings establish L. reuteri NK45 as an efficient and sustainable platform for food-grade 3-HPA production, highlighting its industrial potential to enhance food safety and shelf life through a natural bio-additive approach.