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Using the agricultural environment to select better surrogates for foodborne pathogens associated with fresh produce
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Using the agricultural environment to select better surrogates for foodborne pathogens associated with fresh produce

Kimberly L. Cook, Ethan C. Givan, Holly M. Mayton, Rohan R. Parekh, Ritchie Taylor and Sharon L. Walker
International journal of food microbiology, v 262, pp 80-88
04 Dec 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2017.09.017
PMID: 28968533
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2017.09.017View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Adhesion Biofilm E. coli Environment Lettuce Salmonella
Despite continuing efforts to reduce foodborne pathogen contamination of fresh produce, significant outbreaks continue to occur. Identification of appropriate surrogates for foodborne pathogens facilitates relevant research to identify reservoirs and amplifiers of these contaminants in production and processing environments. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify environmental Escherichia coli isolates from manures (poultry, swine and dairy) and surface water sources with properties similar to those of the produce associated foodborne pathogens E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium. The most similar environmental E. coli isolates were from poultry (n=3) and surface water (n=1) sources. The best environmental E. coli surrogates had cell surface characteristics (zeta potential, hydrophobicity and exopolysaccharide composition) that were similar (i.e., within 15%) to those of S. Typhimurium and/or formed biofilms more often when grown in low nutrient media prepared from lettuce lysates (24%) than when grown on high nutrient broth (7%). The rate of attachment of environmental isolates to lettuce leaves was also similar to that of S. Typhimurium. In contrast, E. coli O157:H7, a commonly used E. coli quality control strain and swine isolates behaved similarly; all were in the lowest 10% of isolates for biofilm formation and leaf attachment. These data suggest that the environment may provide a valuable resource for selection of surrogates for foodborne pathogens. •Salmonella forms high levels of biofilm when grown on lettuce lystates.•Suites of environmental E. coli are needed as pathogen surrogates.•Cell surface characteristics vary among environmental E. coli.•Isolates from the environment behave like Salmonella in attachment.

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8 citations in Web of Science
8 citations in Scopus

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Food Science & Technology
Microbiology
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