Pioneering new ways of tackling bacterial contamination

Research by Cardiff University has helped to reduce contamination risk in industry on a global scale.

To plants,the bacteria Burkholderia are frequently beneficial, for example by colonising and protecting them from attack by fungus and other pathogens.

But they have developed high antimicrobial resistance which means they remain a potential threat to vulnerable people. Another example of this resilience is their ability to survive in man-made products where they can cause contamination.

To help tackle this problem, Professor Mahenthiralingam applied his work with Cystic Fibrosis patients to detecting bacteria in products such as cosmetics and toiletries, which are made in a non-sterile environment. Contamination can pose a serious health risk to consumers and lead to costly product recalls.

His research has helped global manufacturer Unilever reduce incidents of contamination and develop improved preservative formulations to prevent product spoilage by microorganisms.