Naturally occurring biofilms on alfalfa and other types of sprouts

被引:111
作者
Fett, WF [1 ]
机构
[1] USDA ARS, Eastern Reg Res Ctr, Wyndmoor, PA 19038 USA
关键词
D O I
10.4315/0362-028X-63.5.625
中图分类号
Q81 [生物工程学(生物技术)]; Q93 [微生物学];
学科分类号
071005 ; 0836 ; 090102 ; 100705 ;
摘要
Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the cotyledons, hypocotyls, and roots of alfalfa, broccoli, clover, and sunflower sprouts purchased from retail outlets as well as alfalfa sprouts grown in the laboratory using a tray system equipped with automatic irrigation. Biofilms were observed on all plant parts of the four types of commercially grown sprouts. Biofilms were also commonly observed on alfalfa sprouts grown in the laboratory by 2 days of growth. Rod-shaped bacteria of various sizes were predominant on all sprouts examined both as free-living cells and as components of biofilms. Occasionally, cocci-shaped bacteria as well as yeast cells were also present in biofilms. The microbes contained in the biofilms appeared to be attached to each other and to the plant surface by a matrix, most likely composed of bacterial exopolysaccharides. Biofilms were most abundant and of the largest dimensions on cotyledons, sometimes covering close to the entire cotyledon surface (approximately 2 mm in length). Naturally occurring biofilms on sprouts may afford protected colonization sites for human pathogens such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7, making their eradication with antimicrobial compounds difficult.
引用
收藏
页码:625 / 632
页数:8
相关论文
共 17 条
[1]   Bacterial biofilms: A common cause of persistent infections [J].
Costerton, JW ;
Stewart, PS ;
Greenberg, EP .
SCIENCE, 1999, 284 (5418) :1318-1322
[2]   MICROBIAL BIOFILMS [J].
COSTERTON, JW ;
LEWANDOWSKI, Z ;
CALDWELL, DE ;
KORBER, DR ;
LAPPINSCOTT, HM .
ANNUAL REVIEW OF MICROBIOLOGY, 1995, 49 :711-745
[3]   INFLUENCE OF CULTURE CONDITIONS ON BIOFILM FORMATION BY ESCHERICHIA-COLI O157-H7 [J].
DEWANTI, R ;
WONG, ACL .
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD MICROBIOLOGY, 1995, 26 (02) :147-164
[4]  
FETT W, 1999, COMMUNICATION
[5]  
GRAS MH, 1994, SCI ALIMENT, V14, P173
[6]  
Itoh Y, 1998, APPL ENVIRON MICROB, V64, P1532
[7]   Substratum topography influences susceptibility of Salmonella enteritidis biofilms to trisodium phosphate [J].
Korber, DR ;
Choi, A ;
Wolfaardt, GM ;
Ingham, SC ;
Caldwell, DE .
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, 1997, 63 (09) :3352-3358
[8]   Significance of microbial biofilms in food industry: a review [J].
Kumar, CG ;
Anand, SK .
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD MICROBIOLOGY, 1998, 42 (1-2) :9-27
[9]   Methods for observing microbial biofilms directly on leaf surfaces and recovering them for isolation of culturable microorganisms [J].
Morris, CE ;
Monier, JM ;
Jacques, MA .
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, 1997, 63 (04) :1570-1576
[10]  
Morris CE, 1998, APPL ENVIRON MICROB, V64, P4789