Quorum Sensing systems in foodborne Salmonella spp. and corresponding control strategies using Quorum Sensing inhibitors for food storage

Background: Salmonellosis remains a persistent public health challenge, necessitating the development of innovative strategies to address this issue. One such approach is the application of Quorum Sensing (QS) inhibitors, which have the potential to mitigate Salmonella contamination, particularly in strains exhibiting high antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation capabilities. Scope and approach: In this comprehensive review, we examine the QS systems within Salmonella spp. and assess the potential of QS inhibitors in the food industry. Additionally, we present further discussions and recommendations on controlling Salmonella through QS inhibition. Key findings and conclusions: QS systems facilitate Salmonella's adaptation to adverse environmental conditions by regulating various factors, such as biofilm formation, antibiotic production, and virulence expression. The QS signalling molecules in Salmonella can be broadly classified into three categories: autoinducer-1, autoinducer-2, and autoinducer-3, each responsible for specific communication functions, including inter-species, intra-species, and host responses, respectively. Inhibiting QS is considered an alternative strategy for controlling gene expression in several Salmonella phenotypes, which can ultimately prolong the shelf life of food products and reduce the pathogenicity of foodborne Salmonella strains.