# From Dormancy to Eradication: Strategies for Controlling Bacterial Persisters in Food Settings
## 6 Implications of Persister Cells in the Food Industry
### Physical Treatments
[68] demonstrated that increasing HHP (up to 600 MPa) and elevating the temperature from 38 \({}^{\circ}\)C to 70 \({}^{\circ}\)C significantly improved _B. cereus_ spore inactivation in milk. One key advantage of HHP treatment, compared to traditional high-temperature methods, is that it preserves the organoleptic and nutritional properties of the food matrix (e.g., flavor and vitamin content), which is crucial for consumer satisfaction and maintaining overall food product quality [70]. Additionally, HHP extends shelf life, reduces the need for chemical additives, and ensures uniform processing, regardless of food shape or size. It also meets the growing consumer demand for clean-label products by providing a natural preservation method [71]. Its application in juices, dairy, seafood, meat, ready-to-eat meals, and functional foods enables product innovation while preserving bioactive compounds beneficial to health [72]. HHP is an excellent choice for manufacturers seeking to offer high-quality, fresh-tasting, and minimally processed foods. Its isostatic nature ensures uniform treatment, and in-package processing minimizes contamination risks. Furthermore, HPP is environmentally friendly, as it relies solely on electric energy without generating waste products [73]. However, its feasibility depends on the product type, processing goals, and economic considerations [71]. Despite its many benefits, HHP involves some disadvantages. The high initial cost of equipment makes it less accessible to small-scale producers, limiting its widespread adoption. Additionally, while it effectively inactivates vegetative microorganisms, it has a limited impact on bacterial spores unless they are combined with heat (pressure-assisted thermal sterilization). Residual enzyme activity and dissolved oxygen can lead to enzymatic and oxidative degradation of certain food components. To maintain sensory and nutritional quality, most pressure-treated foods require refrigeration during storage and distribution. Moreover, for HPP to achieve an antimicrobial effect, foods should contain approximately 40% free water, restricting its application to specific products [73]. Therefore, effectively mitigating persister cells, particularly endospores, in the context of food safety requires a multifaceted strategy. By integrating high hydrostatic pressure with spore germination pretreatments and complementary methodologies, a more efficient approach emerges for reducing the resilience of these persistent bacterial phenotypes while simultaneously safeguarding the sensory and nutritional characteristics inherent to the food product. The use of direct electric current is an effective method for controlling biofilm formation and eliminating persister cells [74]. [PERSON] et al. [75] investigated the effects of low-level electrochemical current (70 \(\upmu\)A/cm\({}^{2}\)) in conjunction with tobramycin (1.5 \(\upmu\)g/mL) against _P. aeruginosa_ persister cells. This strategy's success likely stems from the sensitization and increased susceptibility of persister cells to antimicrobials, a process facilitated by the disruption of the cytoplasmic membrane. Following this disruption, persisters were effectively killed through the application of the electrochemical current generated via carbon and stainless-steel electrodes. This dual approach not only enhances the effectiveness of the antimicrobial agent but also demonstrates the potential of electrochemical methods in addressing persister cell challenges in biofilm management. One of the main advantages of low-level electrochemical current is its non-thermal nature, allowing food to retain its sensory and nutritional quality without the texture, flavor, or nutrient degradation associated with thermal processing. It is also energy-efficient and applicable to both liquid and solid food systems, offering flexibility in food preservation. Additionally, this method can reduce the need for chemical preservatives, aligning with clean-label trends.