Biofilm formation by Salmonella spp. on food contact surfaces and their sensitivity to sanitizers

• Published in: International journal of food microbiology Vol. 64; no. 3; pp. 367 - 372
• Main Authors: Joseph, B., Otta, S.K., Karunasagar, Indrani, Karunasagar, I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 20.03.2001; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Bacterial Adhesion; Biofilm; Biofilms; Biological and medical sciences; Chickens - microbiology; Colony Count, Microbial; Food Handling - instrumentation; Food industries; Food Microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Hygiene and safety; Hypochlorite; Hypochlorous Acid - pharmacology; Iodophor; Iodophors - pharmacology; Plastics; poultry; Salmonella; Salmonella - drug effects; Sanitation; Sanitizers; Sensitivity and Specificity; stainless steel; Steel; Surface Properties; Time Factors; Biofilm; Salmonella; Iodophor; Sanitizers; Hypochlorite; Iodophore; Microbiological testing; Foodstuff; Antimicrobial agent; Contact surface; Microorganism resistance; Pathogenic; Hypochlorites; Bacteria; Disinfecting agent; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 0168-1605; 1879-3460
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-1605(00)00466-9

Biofilm formation by two poultry isolates of Salmonella on three commonly used food contact surfaces viz plastic, cement and stainless steel were studied. Biofilm formation of both the isolates showed a similar trend with the highest density being on plastic followed by cement and steel. Salmonella weltevreden formed biofilm with a cell density of 3.4×10 7, 1.57×10 6 and 3×10 5 cfu/cm 2 on plastic, cement and steel respectively while Salmonella FCM 40 biofilm on plastic, cement and steel were of the order of 1.2×10 7, 4.96×10 6 and 2.23×10 5 cfu/cm 2 respectively. The sensitivity of the biofilm cells grown on these surfaces to different levels of two sanitizers namely hypochlorite and iodophor for varying exposure times was studied. Biofilm cells offered greater resistance when compared to their planktonic counterparts. Such biofilm cells in a food processing unit are not usually removed by the normal cleaning procedure and therefore could be a source of contamination of foods coming in contact with such surfaces.