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Comparative Study of Three Methods for Recovering Microorganisms from Wooden Surfaces in the Food Industry

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Abstract

As direct food contact material, wood is subject to European regulation no. 1935/2004 of 27 October 2004, which specifies that materials intended for safe food contact must not interfere with foodstuff characteristics. In order to comply with this regulation, it is important to provide an efficient recovery method so that the microbial load on wooden surfaces in direct contact with products can be determined. This study compares three methods of recovering microorganisms from wooden packaging surfaces: grinding, brushing, and planing techniques. We chose three microorganism models, at various concentrations, which are well-known risks in the food industry: Escherichia coli (vegetable sector), Listeria monocytogenes (dairy sector), and Penicillium expansum (fruit sector). Tests were carried out on three types of wooden surface, either dry or wet, and made of poplar, Scots pine, and spruce, which are commonly used in France for wooden packaging in the food industry. We identified which factors influenced microorganism recovery rates: wood moisture content, contact time, and wooden species. The grinding technique was the one which delivered the best recovery yield with an average of 30.1 % for L. monocytogenes on spruce and E. coli on poplar and 30.4 % for P. expansum on poplar at 37 % of wood moisture content. Planing method was also chosen to be applied to thicker wooden samples. These most reliable recovery methods will be used as a basis for the development of a specific standard to assess the food safety of wooden packaging.

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Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank Martine Gabille (FCBA) and Sylvie Engelmann (Actalia) for their valuable technical support. This work was financially supported by the French Scientific Consortium EMABOIS, the French Packaging Pole, and the French institution, France Bois Forêt.

Compliance with Ethics Requirements

Rached Ismail has received research grants from the French Scientific Consortium EMABOIS.

Isabelle Le Bayon has received research grants from the French Scientific Consortium EMABOIS.

Valérie Michel has received research grants from the French Scientific Consortium EMABOIS.

Florence Aviat has received research grants from the French Scientific Consortium EMABOIS.

Conflict of Interest

Marc Jequel declares that he has no conflict of interest. Magdalena Kutnik declares that she has no conflict of interest. Michel Fédérighi declares that he has no conflict of interest. This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LUNAM, Oniris, SECALIM, route de Gachet, CS 40706, 44307, Nantes, France

    R. Ismaïl, F. Aviat & M. Fédérighi

  2. INRA, UMR1014 SECALIM, Nantes, 44307, France

    R. Ismaïl, F. Aviat & M. Fédérighi

  3. Institut technologique FCBA, Allée de Boutaut, BP 227, 33028, Bordeaux, France

    I. Le Bayon, M. Jequel & M. Kutnik

  4. ACTALIA Produits Laitiers, 419 Route des Champs Laitiers, CS50030, 74801, La Roche sur Foron, France

    V. Michel

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  1. R. Ismaïl
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  2. I. Le Bayon
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  3. V. Michel
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  4. M. Jequel
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  5. M. Kutnik
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  6. F. Aviat
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  7. M. Fédérighi
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Correspondence to F. Aviat.

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Ismaïl, R., Le Bayon, I., Michel, V. et al. Comparative Study of Three Methods for Recovering Microorganisms from Wooden Surfaces in the Food Industry. Food Anal. Methods 8, 1238–1247 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-014-0008-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-014-0008-3

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