# From Dormancy to Eradication: Strategies for Controlling Bacterial Persisters in Food Settings
###### Abstract  
Bacterial persistence, a dormant state that enables microorganisms to survive harsh conditions, is a significant concern in food-industry settings, where traditional antimicrobial treatments often fail to eliminate these resilient cells. This article goes beyond conventional review by compiling critical information aimed at providing practical solutions to combat bacterial persisters in food production environments. This review explores the primary mechanisms behind persister cell formation, including toxin-antitoxin systems, the alarmone guanosine tetrapphosphate (ppGpp), stochastic processes (in which persistence occurs as a random event), and the SOS response. Given the serious implications for food safety and quality, the authors also report a range of physical, chemical, and biological methods for targeting and eradicating persister cells. The strategies discussed, whether applied individually or in combination, offer varying levels of availability and applicability within the industry and can serve as a guide for implementing microbial contamination control plans. While significant progress has been achieved, further research is crucial to fully understand the complex mechanisms underlying bacterial persistence in food and to develop effective and targeted strategies for its eradication in food-industry settings. Overall, the translation of these insights into practical applications aims to support the food industry in overcoming this persistent challenge, ensuring safer, more sustainable food production. persister cells; environmental triggers; food industry; eradication strategies 20251410551  
Persister cells were first described by [PERSON] in 1944 during resistance assays using penicillin against _Staphylococcus_ spp. [5]. The author observed a small subset of cells that survived despite not being resistant to penicillin. These survivor cells, though few in number, regained metabolic activity after the removal of the antibiotic. [PERSON] proposed that these cells entered a dormant state, preventing them from engaging in cellular pathways targeted by penicillin and allowing them to remain viable under stress conditions that would typically kill actively growing cells. Later, in 1983 and 1986, [PERSON] and [PERSON] focused on identifying the genes responsible for persistence, using _Escherichia coli_ as a model [6; 7]. These authors identified two distinct colony types when exposed to ampicillin: resistant cells and highly persistent mutant (Hip) persister cells. Unlike resistant cells, Hip persister cells did not grow in the presence of ampicillin. This discovery suggested a new phenotype of cells emerging in the stationary phase that was not linked to genetic mutations, revealing a unique survival strategy. The studies mentioned above suggest that dormancy can be triggered by various factors, such as environmental stress (e.g., starvation, extreme pH, temperature, or salinity), antimicrobial pressure, and internal stressors like oxidative stress and DNA damage. However, alternative theories propose that persister cells may emerge from population heterogeneity, with stochastic errors during replication contributing to their formation [8; 9; 10; 11]. Initial exposure to antibiotics causes rapid death in most cells, but a small subset of persisters survive and eventually resume growth once the stressor is removed. This persistence is often reflected in a \"tail\" effect, characterized by a slower, power-law decline in population size during stress, followed by regrowth once conditions improve [11]. Another study suggested that bacterial populations consist of both persister and non-persister cells [10]; non-persisters contribute to environmental detoxification, allowing persisters to survive and repopulate. The time required for detoxification is determined by the density of detoxifying cells, leading to a slower decline and the eventual recovery of persisters. The comprehension of the genetic basis of persister has been recently studied by [PERSON] et al. Studies with _E.