Mannose-Coated Selenium Nanoparticles Show Potent Anti-Biofilm Activity Against Foodborne Pathogens

Selenium nanoparticles stabilized by a hyperbranched poly-D-mannose shell have shown strong, species-dependent inhibition of biofilms formed by major foodborne pathogens, according to a research article published in Food Science and Biotechnology. The composite, designated HBPM-SeNPs, was developed to address a persistent weakness of selenium nanoparticles as antimicrobial agents: poor stability.

The team constructed the nanocomposite by using hyperbranched poly-D-mannose (HBPM) as a stabilizer during nanoparticle synthesis. Characterization by dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated that the three-dimensional topology of HBPM regulates both the formation and the stabilization of the selenium nanoparticles.

The resulting particles measured 89.88 nanometers in diameter with a polydispersity index of 0.133 and a zeta potential of −20 mV, and the formulation maintained its stability for 34 days.

In antibacterial assays, HBPM-SeNPs inhibited planktonic — free-floating — bacteria in a species-dependent manner across five tested foodborne pathogens: Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus cereus. The strongest activity was recorded against S. aureus.

When the researchers measured effects on biofilm formation, the composite at a concentration of 8.1 micrograms per milliliter achieved 100 percent inhibition against S. aureus and 94.24 percent against B. cereus, exceeding its efficacy against most of the Gram-negative bacteria tested.

The authors attribute this high efficacy to the synergistic action of multivalent mannose-mediated adhesion competition, spatial isolation provided by the hyperbranched architecture, and the intrinsic activity of the selenium nanoparticles themselves.

The findings come with the scope limitations of laboratory characterization and in vitro antibacterial assays. The reported inhibition percentages apply to the tested conditions and organisms, and the work does not establish performance on actual food contact surfaces, in complex food matrices, or under industrial sanitation regimes.

Even so, the study presents a stable, mannose-stabilized selenium nanocomposite with measurable anti-biofilm potency, and it offers a selenium-based strategy for combating biofilm contamination in food processing.

Subject of Research: Hyperbranched poly-D-mannose-stabilized selenium nanoparticles for inhibiting biofilms of foodborne pathogens

Article Title: Fabrication of hyperbranched poly-D-mannose-based selenium nanoparticles and their inhibition on biofilms of foodborne pathogens

Article References: Tian, D., Zhang, C., Zhang, H., Zhang, F., Xu, M., Wang, Z., Xin, T., Zou, J., & Li, C. (2026). Fabrication of hyperbranched poly-D-mannose-based selenium nanoparticles and their inhibition on biofilms of foodborne pathogens. Food Science and Biotechnology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-026-02341-3

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s10068-026-02341-3

Keywords: selenium nanoparticles, biofilms, foodborne pathogens, poly-D-mannose, food safety, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, nanocomposite, antibacterial assays, food processing, Fabrication, hyperbranched