Dry adesion of Salmonella spp. and Cronobacter spp. on surfaces and their resistance to hygiene processes

Abstract

Salmonella spp. and Cronobacter spp. are among the top pathogens of concern in low moisture foods (LMF). Both have significant resistance to desiccant stress and are biofilm formers. Therefore, the control of these microorganisms in the LMF industry is a great challenge. Wet cleaning is not recommended in dry environments, as it can favor microbial growth. However, in order to establish adequate sanitation protocols for low moisture processing lines, it is necessary to know the capacity of Salmonella and Cronobacter to adhere and remain in the environment, as well as their resistance to dry cleaning methods. Thus, the aims of this study are to develop a dry inoculation method for biofilm; to evaluate the effect of different matrices on the dry adhesion of Salmonella and Cronobacter on stainless steel and polypropylene with and without conditioning. In addition, the formation of biofilm by Salmonella and Cronobacter using the dry surface biofilm method (DSB), as well as the efficiency of different dry sanitization protocols in the control of these microorganisms will be evaluated. Furthermore, the genomic analyses of Salmonella isolated from the peanut supply chain will be performed. For the study, five Salmonella strains isolated from the peanut production chain and five Cronobacter strains isolated from LMF samples are used. With the data obtained in this research, it is expected to contribute to the establishment of a new methodology for bacteria dry adhesion studies. In addition, it will provide data for academia, regulatory agencies and the productive sector to support risk assessment studies and the optimization of sanitation protocols for the LMF industry. (AU)