Bacterial biofilms in food processing environments: a review of recent developments in chemical and biological control

Abstract

Biofilms are immobile communities of micro-organisms attached to any surface, such as stainless steel or a food matrix surface or on packaging material. They may be composed of a single species, but more generally, in the natural environment, they consist of mixed species together with an extracellular matrix. Biofilms provide a common mechanism of persistence for a number of bacterial species especially in food processing environments, and therefore, prevention of biofilm formation and the removal of preformed biofilms are an important issue for the food industry. This article reviews the current understanding on the formation of biofilms and recent developments in biological and chemical methods for prevention and removal.

Antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of procyanidins extracted from laurel wood against a selection of foodborne microorganisms

“…Plant extracts as well as pure plant‐derived compounds (mainly phenolic compounds) have received increasing attention as natural antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents against important foodborne pathogens in the recent years (Elhariry et al ., ; Phillips, ). Cranberry juice, elaborated from fruits of Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait., has also long been used to prevent infections of the urinary tract, which are often related to biofilm formation and numerous studies have found that A‐type proanthocyanidins (PACs) (oligomers with at least a double interflavanyl linkage between two flavan‐3‐ol units) from cranberries have antibiofilm properties against many bacterial and fungal pathogens (Rane et al ., ; Ulrey et al ., ).…”

Reductionin Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in vitro and on tomato by sophorolipid and sanitiser as affected by temperature and storage time

“…Among these, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovars and Listeria monocytogenes have been the most frequently encountered bacterial pathogens in outbreaks on minimally processed produce and food (Phillips, 2016;Skerni skyt_ e et al, 2016). Among these, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovars and Listeria monocytogenes have been the most frequently encountered bacterial pathogens in outbreaks on minimally processed produce and food (Phillips, 2016;Skerni skyt_ e et al, 2016).…”

Development of a peroxide biodetector for a direct detection of biofilms produced by catalase-positive bacteria on food-contact surfaces

“…Surfaces with biofilms of L. brevis did not show any positive reaction because this microorganism is catalase negative (Whittenbury, 1964) and no positive action was expected. In food industry environment, the non-detection of negative catalase microorganisms would not be a problem because biofilms are formed by mixed species (Colagiorgi et al, 2017;Elias & Banin, 2012;Phillips, 2016) and therefore the use of the biodetector would show microbial activity. Biofilms formed by mixed species constitutes a general adaptation of foodborne pathogens and microbiota associated to the food-processing environment for extended survival in their food niche (Jahid & Ha, 2014).…”