The Telegraph, a newspaper in the United Kingdom,
highlighted research done at the University of Minnesota on bisin, a substance that shows promise as a food preservative.
The story noted that microbiologists at the U of M discovered bisin by accident when studying organisms that populate the human gut. Bisin is able to kill bacteria that trigger decomposition in the fresh proteins found in meat, dairy, eggs, and fish—although it doesn’t work on fresh vegetables or fruit.
It can also prevent the growth of dangerous bacteria like E.coli, salmonella, and listeria.
If the substance lives up to its promise, it could be the "Holy Grail” of the food industry, The Telegraph posited, although skeptics--like Rose Prince, the columnist doing the reporting--may need a bit more convincing.