Advances and strategic evolution in bacterial spore control in meat products: Germination mechanisms, emerging control strategies, and future perspectives.

Bacterial spores are primarily produced by Bacillus and Clostridium species. They pose a continuous challenge to the meat industry due to their special resistance to thermal, chemical, and physical treatments. This resilience often leads to meat product spoilage and foodborne illness, while conventional thermal sterilization may compromise sensory and nutritional quality. A three-step control strategy is proposed, including effective germination induction, mild physical inactivation and targeted inhibition using bioactive compounds from medicinal and edible homologous materials (MEHMs). Current studies highlight that combining germinants with mild physical inactivation technologies markedly enhances spore control, while MEHMs show potential to interfere with germination pathways. However, knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of spore germination and the synergistic effects of combined treatments is insufficient. Therefore, this review provides a promising strategy for sustainable spore control in meat products, offering guidance for future research, industrial applications, and the development of safe and high-quality meat products.