Control of Listeria monocytogenes in the Processing Environment by Understanding Biofilm Formation and Resistance to Sanitizers

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes can colonize in the food processing environment and thus pose a greater risk of cross-contamination to food. One of the proposed mechanisms that facilitates such colonization is biofilm formation. As part of a biofilm, it is hypothesized that L. monocytogenes can survive sanitization procedures. In addition, biofilms are difficult to remove and may require additional physical and chemical mechanisms to reduce their presence and occurrence. The initial stage of biofilm formation is attachment to surfaces, and therefore it is important to be able to determine the ability of L. monocytogenes strains to attach to various inert surfaces. In this chapter, methods to study bacterial attachment to surfaces are described. Attachment is commonly induced by bringing planktonic cells into contact with plastic, glass, or stainless steel surfaces with or without food residues (“soil”) in batch or continuous (e.g., with constant flow of nutrients) culture. Measurement of biofilm formed is carried out by detaching cells (with various mechanical methods) and measuring the viable counts or by measuring the total attached biomass. Resistance of biofilms to sanitizers is commonly carried out by exposure of the whole model surface bearing the attached cells to a solution of sanitizer, followed by measuring the survivors as described above.