Abstract:Nisin is a lantibiotic with unusual amino acids produced by lactic acid bacteria. It has been used as a natural bio-preservative for food because of its high antimicrobial activity and safety. Since the late of the 1980s, nisin was first studied and developed in the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in our country. With the innovations and endeavor of several generations of scientists, nisin Z producing strain with high production was obtained, and the fermentation and extraction technologies were improved. Through technology transformation, nisin product was successfully manufactured by Zhejiang Silver-elephant Bioengineering Limited Corporation. Combining the scientific research, product developing and marketing, nisin is walking out from the laboratory to the market and into people’s home, which is one of the best notes of “Tiny bugs, high technology, big business”.
