Reuterin is water soluble, effective in a wide range of pH, resistant to proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes and has been therefore studied as a food preservative or auxiliary therapeutic agent. Reuterin is a potent antimicrobial with high activity against a broad panel of C. jejuni and C. coli isolates.
Reuterin is produced by certain strains of L. reuteri during anaerobic fermentation of glycerol and has a broad-spectrum antimicrobial property against enteric pathogens and intestinal bacteria.