Evaluation of combinations of nisin, lauric arginate, and ε-polylysine to control Listeria monocytogenes in queso fresco

ABSTRACT Outbreaks of listeriosis are continually attributed to the consumption of Hispanic-style soft cheeses contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes postpasteurization. Once contaminated, L. monocytogenes can grow rapidly in cheeses like Queso Fresco (QF) even when stored at refrigeration temperatures. Several antimicrobials, including acidified calcium sulfate with lactic acid (ACSL), ɛ-polylysine (EPL), hydrogen peroxide (HP), lauric arginate ethyl ester (LAE), and sodium caprylate (SC), have demonstrated antilisterial activity in food. The objectives of this study were to determine the efficacy of these antimicrobials used individually and in combination to control L. monocytogenes as surface contaminants on QF and to identify additive and synergistic interactions. Cheeses were surface inoculated at ∼4 log CFU/g, dipped in antimicrobial solutions, vacuum packaged, and then stored at 7°C for 35 days. L. monocytogenes counts were determined 24 h after application of the antimicrobials and then weekly throughout storage. Dip treatments in a 5% (v/v) HP solution reduced L. monocytogenes counts to <0.5 log CFU/g within 24 h with no increase in counts through day 35. Dip treatments in LAE at 2 and 5% alone and in combination with EPL at 10% produced initial reductions in pathogen counts (1.5 to 1.8 CFU/g) but did not inhibit pathogen growth compared with the sterile water control. Dip applications of ACSL at 25% also produced an initial ∼1.5-log reduction in L. monocytogenes counts followed by regrowth. Application of SC at 10% alone and in combination with either EPL or LAE inhibited growth to <1 log CFU/g through 21 days of storage. The combination of ACSL+SC worked synergistically to inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes on QF to <1 log CFU/g through 35 days. These data indicate that HP alone and treatments containing EPL, LAE, or ACSL in combination with SC are promising postlethality treatments and process controls for L. monocytogenes on QF through a 21-day shelf life.

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Comparative Efficacy of Potassium Levulinate with and without Potassium Diacetate and Potassium Propionate versus Potassium Lactate and Sodium Diacetate for Control of Listeria monocytogenes on Commercially Prepared Uncured Turkey Breast†

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-14-467 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 78 (5) ◽

pp. 927-933 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

ANNA C. S. PORTO-FETT ◽

STEPHEN G. CAMPANO ◽

BRADLEY A. SHOYER ◽

DAVID ISRAELI ◽

ALAN OSER ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Listeria Monocytogenes ◽

Refrigerated Storage ◽

Target Level ◽

Comparative Efficacy ◽

Storage Product ◽

Potassium Lactate ◽

Lauric Arginate ◽

Product Surface ◽

Sodium Diacetate

We evaluated the efficacy of potassium levulinate (KLEV; 0.0, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0%) with and without a blend of potassium propionate (0.1%) and potassium diacetate (0.1%) (KPD) versus a blend of potassium lactate (1.8%) and sodium diacetate (0.125%) (KLD) for inhibiting Listeria monocytogenes on commercially prepared, uncured turkey breast during refrigerated storage. Product formulated with KLD or KLEV (1.5%) was also subsequently surface treated with 44 ppm of a solution of lauric arginate (LAE). Slices (ca. 1.25 cm thick and 100 g) of turkey breast formulated with or without antimicrobials were surface inoculated on both the top and bottom faces to a target level of ca. 3.5 log CFU per slice with a five-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes, vacuum sealed, and then stored at 4°C for up to 90 days. Without inclusion of antimicrobials in the formulation, pathogen levels increased by ca. 5.2 log CFU per slice, whereas with the inclusion of 1.0 to 2.0% KLEV pathogen levels increased by only ca. 2.9 to 0.8 log CFU per slice after 90 days at 4°C. When 1.0% KLEV and KPD were included as ingredients, pathogen levels increased by ca. 0.8 log CFU per slice after storage at 4°C for 90 days, whereas a decrease of ca. 0.7 log CFU per slice was observed when 1.5 or 2.0% KLEV and KPD were included as ingredients. When used alone, KPD was not effective (≥5.8-log increase). As expected, KLD was effective at suppressing L. monocytogenes in uncured turkey breast. When uncured turkey breast was formulated with KLD or KLEV (1.5%) or without antimicrobials and subsequently surface treated with LAE, pathogen levels decreased by ca. 1.0 log CFU per package within 2 h; no differences (P ≥ 0.01) were observed in pathogen levels for product surface treated with or without LAE and stored for 90 days. Our results validate the use of KLEV to inhibit outgrowth of L. monocytogenes during refrigerated storage of uncured turkey breast. KLEV is at least as effective as KLD as an antilisterial agent.

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Viability of Listeria monocytogenes on commercially-prepared hams surface treated with acidic calcium sulfate and lauric arginate and stored at 4°C

Meat Science ◽

10.1016/j.meatsci.2005.04.006 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 71 (1) ◽

pp. 92-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 63

Author(s):

J.B. Luchansky ◽

J.E. Call ◽

B. Hristova ◽

L. Rumery ◽

L. Yoder ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Listeria Monocytogenes ◽

Calcium Sulfate ◽

Lauric Arginate

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Activity of organic acid salts in combination with lauric arginate against Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Rissen

ScienceAsia ◽

10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.2013.39.346 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. 346 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Suchart Suksathit ◽

Pussadee Tangwatcharin

Keyword(s):

Listeria Monocytogenes ◽

Organic Acid ◽

Lauric Arginate ◽

Organic Acid Salts ◽

Acid Salts

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Control of Listeria Monocytogenes by Lauric Arginate on Frankfurters Formulated with or without Lactate/Diacetate

Journal of Food Science ◽

10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01196.x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 74 (6) ◽

pp. M237-M241 ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

E.M. Martin ◽

C.L. Griffis ◽

K.L.S. Vaughn ◽

C.A. O'Bryan ◽

E.C. Friedly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Listeria Monocytogenes ◽

Lauric Arginate

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Synergistic Effects of Lauric Arginate and Peracetic Acid in Reducing Listeria monocytogenes on Fresh Apples

Frontiers in Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fmicb.2021.641034 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Xiaoye Shen ◽

Jian Cong ◽

Joshua Mugendi ◽

Ines Hanrahan ◽

Mei-Jun Zhu

Keyword(s):

Listeria Monocytogenes ◽

Peracetic Acid ◽

Synergistic Effects ◽

Tween 80 ◽

Contact Angles ◽

Treatment Temperature ◽

Antimicrobial Efficacy ◽

Preventive Strategy ◽

Log Reduction ◽

Lauric Arginate

Apples are naturally coated with a water-repelling hydrophobic wax layer, which may limit the antimicrobial efficacies of surface sanitizer solutions. Lauric arginate (LAE) is a cationic surfactant with antimicrobial efficacy against Listeria monocytogenes. In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial and the wettability effects of LAE in enhancing anti-L. monocytogenes efficacy of peracetic acid (PAA) and further verified the optimized treatment combinations in a pilot spray-bar brush bed system. Apples after 48 h of inoculation were treated with PAA surface sanitation in combination with different concentrations of LAE at 22 or 46°C. The effectiveness of PAA with LAE solutions in decontaminating L. monocytogenes significantly increased with the increased concentration of PAA (60–80 ppm) or LAE (0.01–0.05%) or the treatment temperature (from 22 to 46°C). A 30–120-sec wash by 80 ppm PAA with 0.01 and 0.05% LAE at 22°C reduced L. monocytogenes on apples by 2.10–2.25 and 2.48–2.58 log10 CFU/apple, respectively. Including LAE in the PAA solution decreased contact angles on apple surfaces. However, the increased wettability of the sanitizer solution may not be the main contributor to the enhanced antimicrobial efficacy of the PAA solution, given that the addition of Tween 80 or Tween 85 only slightly boosted the anti-L. monocytogenes efficacy of PAA solutions though both increased the wettability of the PAA solutions. The synergistic effects of PAA and LAE were further validated in a pilot spray-bar brush bed packing system, where a 30-sec spray wash with 80 ppm PAA and 0.05% LAE at 22 and 46°C caused 1.68 and 2.08 log reduction of Listeria on fresh apples, respectively. This study provides an improved PAA process/preventive strategy for ensuring microbial food safety of fresh apples that is applicable to commercial apple packing lines.

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