Researchers at Penn State University say they discovered how some pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes, survive and persist in fruit-packing plants by evading and surviving sanitizers, the university said in a recent post.
Researchers found that biofilms, harmless microorganisms that attach and the food surface, create a shield that surrounds and protects Listeria.
“We found two groups of microorganisms in the tree fruit packing environments, Pseudomonadaceae and Xanthomonadaceae, that are very good at forming biofilms and protecting Listeria monocytogenes,” the study’s author, Jasna Kovac, a professor of food safety at the university, said in the post. “Biofilms represent a physical barrier that reduces the effective diffusion and antimicrobial action of sanitizers and is hypothesized to increase L. monocytogenes’ tolerance to sanitizers used in food processing facilities.”
Researchers say when the biofilms create a shield over the pathogen, sanitizers are not as effective.
“Our research suggests that if packing facilities are having a recurring problem with Listeria monocytogenes, they may need to assess whether biofilm-forming microorganisms are causing it,” Laura Rolon, a doctoral student who spearheaded the study, told the university.
