Effects of Oxidative Compounds on Thermotolerance in Escherichia coli O157:H7 Strains EO139 and 380-94

2005 ◽  
Vol 68 (11) ◽  
pp. 2443-2446 ◽  
Author(s):  
ISABEL C. BLACKMAN ◽  
YOUNG W. PARK ◽  
MARK A. HARRISON

An oxidative complex composed of ferric iron chloride hexahydrate, ADP, and ascorbic acid can generate hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals in fibroblasts. These compounds are naturally found in meat and meat-based products and may elicit oxidative stress on Escherichia coli O157:H7, thus conferring thermotolerance to the bacterium due to the phenomenon of the global stress response. The effect of the levels of the oxidative complex on the thermotolerance of E. coli O157:H7 was investigated. Cultures of E. coli O157:H7 strains EO139 and 380-94 were mixed in three different concentrations (10:10: 40, 15:15:60, and 20:20:80 μM) of the oxidative complex (iron III chloride, ADP, and ascorbic acid, respectively). The samples were inserted into capillary tubes and heated in a circulating water bath at 59 and 60°C for EO139 and 380-94, respectively. Tubes were removed at intervals of 5 min for up to 1 h and contents spirally plated on plate count agar that was incubated for 48 h at 37°C. The thermotolerance of both E. coli O157:H7 strains EO139 and 380-94 was influenced by the concentrations of the oxidative complex. The ratio of 10:10:40 μM enhanced thermotolerance of EO139 and 390-94 at 59 and 60°C, respectively. However, exposure to the ratios of 15:15:60 and 20:20:80 μM rendered the pathogen more sensitive to the lethal effect and did not enhance the thermotolerance of the cells. The significance of this study is twofold. This experiment proves that oxidative stress can enhance thermotolerance of bacterial cells induced by an oxidative complex if only in a specific ratio and concentration. It is possible to speculate that if the chemical compounds are present in this ratio in meats, they may enhance the thermal resistance of E. coli O157:H7 and make the bacteria more difficult to eliminate, thus increasing the risk of foodborne illness in consumers.

2010 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. 1023-1029 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARILYN C. ERICKSON ◽  
CATHY C. WEBB ◽  
JUAN CARLOS DIAZ-PEREZ ◽  
SHARAD C. PHATAK ◽  
JOHN J. SILVOY ◽  
...  

Numerous field studies have revealed that irrigation water can contaminate the surface of plants; however, the occurrence of pathogen internalization is unclear. This study was conducted to determine the sites of Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination and its survival when the bacteria were applied through spray irrigation water to either field-grown spinach or lettuce. To differentiate internalized and surface populations, leaves were treated with a surface disinfectant wash before the tissue was ground for analysis of E. coli O157:H7 by direct plate count or enrichment culture. Irrigation water containing E. coli O157:H7 at 102, 104, or 106 CFU/ml was applied to spinach 48 and 69 days after transplantation of seedlings into fields. E. coli O157:H7 was initially detected after application on the surface of plants dosed at 104 CFU/ml (4 of 20 samples) and both on the surface (17 of 20 samples) and internally (5 of 20 samples) of plants dosed at 106 CFU/ml. Seven days postspraying, all spinach leaves tested negative for surface or internal contamination. In a subsequent study, irrigation water containing E. coli O157:H7 at 108 CFU/ml was sprayed onto either the abaxial (lower) or adaxial (upper) side of leaves of field-grown lettuce under sunny or shaded conditions. E. coli O157:H7 was detectable on the leaf surface 27 days postspraying, but survival was higher on leaves sprayed on the abaxial side than on leaves sprayed on the adaxial side. Internalization of E. coli O157:H7 into lettuce leaves also occurred with greater persistence in leaves sprayed on the abaxial side (up to 14 days) than in leaves sprayed on the adaxial side (2 days).


1997 ◽  
Vol 60 (8) ◽  
pp. 891-897 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. HUDSON ◽  
J. CHEN ◽  
A. R. HILL ◽  
M. W. GRIFFITHS

Outbreaks of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 have been commonly associated with products derived from ground beef, but recently the organism has been implicated as the causative agent in outbreaks involving yogurt and cheese. This finding has raised concern about the potential for its growth and survival in fermented dairy products. A bioluminescent strain of E. coli O157:H7 was used to determine postprocessing survival in yogurt with live cultures at pH 4.17, 4.39, and 4.47 stored at 4 and 10°C. In addition, survival of E. coli O157:H7 was monitored during the manufacture of Cottage, Colby, Romano, and Feta cheeses. Results indicated survival for 8 and 5 days at 4 and 10°C respectively in yogurt at pH 4.17, 17 and 15 days at 4 and 10°C respectively in yogurt at pH 4.39, and 17days at both 4 and 10°C in yogurt at pH 4.47. E. coli O157:H7 did not survive cooking procedures at 56°C in Cottage cheese. However, the pathogen survived for 27, 30, and 27 days in Colby, Romano, and Feta cheeses respectively. A high correlation of r2 > 0.89 was obtained between counts of bioluminescenct colonies and standard plate count for all yogurt and cheese varieties, indicating that bioluminescence was a sensitive and rapid indicator of cellular viability for E. coli O157:H7. Survival of the pathogen, as indicated by this method, is possible in highly acidic environments even at refrigeration temperatures. This poses a potential hazard should postprocessing contamination occur.


1997 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
LAURA CABEDO ◽  
JOHN N. SOFOS ◽  
GLENN R. SCHMIDT ◽  
GARY C. SMITH

Three strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 were grown in tryptic soy broth (TSB) or in a sterile cattle manure extract at 35°C for 18 ± 2 h. Aliquots from both inocula containing 106 CFU/ml were used to inoculate 1-cm3 cubes of beef muscle or adipose tissue by immersion for 20 min at 21°C. After removal from the inoculum, one-half of the samples were analyzed for bacterial cell numbers and pH, and the other half were stored at 4°C for 2 or 3 h before analysis. Samples were analyzed by enumerating bacteria present in liquid droplets deposited on the tissue and bacteria loosely or strongly attached to the tissue in order to determine attachment strength. Total numbers of cells on beef muscle tissue (bacteria in liquid droplets, as well as those loosely and strongly attached) were 5.65 ± 0.14 and 5.76 ± 0.26 log CFU/cm2 for E. coli O157:H7 inocula grown in TSB and manure extract, respectively. The differences in attachment strength between inocula from the two media were not significant (P > 0.05). A 2-h storage period after exposure of muscle tissue to an E. coli O157:H7 inoculum did not influence attachment strength. Numbers of bacteria attached to adipose tissue and muscle (5.31 ± 0.08 and 5.48 ± 0.09 log CFU/cm2, respectively) were not significantly different (P > 0.05). After 3 h at 4°C, the attachment strength of E. coli O157:H7 cells on muscle or adipose tissue had not changed. Overall, the culture medium and type of beef tissue did not affect the numbers of E. coli O157:H7 cells attached, nor the strength of their attachment, to muscle or adipose tissue.


2001 ◽  
Vol 64 (8) ◽  
pp. 1244-1248 ◽  
Author(s):  
JENNIFER A. BURNHAM ◽  
PATRICIA A. KENDALL ◽  
JOHN N. SOFOS

Destruction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 was evaluated on inoculated apple slices dehydrated at two temperatures with and without application of predrying treatments. Half-ring slices (0.6 cm thick) of peeled and cored Gala apples were inoculated by immersion for 30 min in a four-strain composite inoculum of E. coli O157:H7. The inoculated slices (8.7 to 9.4 log CFU/g) either received no predrying treatment (control), were soaked for 15 min in a 3.4% ascorbic acid solution, or were steam blanched for 3 min at 88°C immediately prior to drying at 57.2 or 62.8°C for up to 6 h. Samples were plated on tryptic soy (TSA) and sorbitol MacConkey (SMAC) agar media for direct enumeration of surviving bacterial populations. Steam blanching changed initial inoculation levels by +0.3 to −0.7 log CFU/g, while immersion in the ascorbic acid solution reduced the inoculation levels by 1.4 to 1.6 log CFU/g. Dehydration of control samples for 6 h reduced mean bacterial populations by 2.9 log CFU/g (TSA or SMAC) at 57.2°C and by 3.3 (SMAC) and 3.5 (TSA) log CFU/g at 62.8°C. Mean decreases from initial inoculum levels for steam-blanched slices after 6 h of drying were 2.1 (SMAC) and 2.0 (TSA) log CFU/g at 57.2°C, and 3.6 (TSA or SMAC) log CFU/g at 62.8°C. In contrast, initial bacterial populations on ascorbic acid–pretreated apple slices declined by 5.0 (SMAC) and 5.1 (TSA) log CFU/g after 3 h of dehydration at 57.2°C, and by 7.3 (SMAC) and 6.9 (TSA) log CFU/g after 3 h at 62.8°C. Reductions on slices treated with ascorbic acid were in the range of 8.0 to 8.3 log CFU/g after 6 h of drying, irrespective of drying temperature or agar medium used. The results of immersing apple slices in a 3.4% ascorbic acid solution for 15 min prior to drying indicate that a predrying treatment enhances the destruction of E. coli O157:H7 on home-dried apple products.


2020 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 568-575
Author(s):  
RONG WANG ◽  
YOU ZHOU ◽  
NORASAK KALCHAYANAND ◽  
DAYNA M. HARHAY ◽  
TOMMY L. WHEELER

ABSTRACT Biofilm formation by Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica at meat processing plants poses a potential risk of meat product contamination. Many common sanitizers are unable to completely eradicate biofilms formed by these foodborne pathogens because of the three-dimensional biofilm structure and the presence of bacterial extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs). A novel multifaceted approach combining multiple chemical reagents with various functional mechanisms was used to enhance the effectiveness of biofilm control. We tested a multicomponent sanitizer consisting of a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC), hydrogen peroxide, and the accelerator diacetin for its effectiveness in inactivating and removing Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica biofilms under meat processing conditions. E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella biofilms on common contact surfaces were treated with 10, 20, or 100% concentrations of the multicomponent sanitizer solution for 10 min, 1 h, or 6 h, and log reductions in biofilm mass were measured. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to directly observe the effect of sanitizer treatment on biofilm removal and bacterial morphology. After treatment with the multicomponent sanitizer, viable E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella biofilm cells were below the limit of detection, and the prevalence of both pathogens was low. After treatment with a QAC-based control sanitizer, surviving bacterial cells were countable, and pathogen prevalence was higher. SEM analysis of water-treated control samples revealed the three-dimensional biofilm structure with a strong EPS matrix connecting bacteria and the contact surface. Treatment with 20% multicomponent sanitizer for 10 min significantly reduced biofilm mass and weakened the EPS connection. The majority of the bacterial cells had altered morphology and compromised membrane integrity. Treatment with 100% multicomponent sanitizer for 10 min dissolved the EPS matrix, and no intact biofilm structure was observed; instead, scattered clusters of bacterial aggregates were detected, indicating the loss of cell viability and biofilm removal. These results indicate that the multicomponent sanitizer is effective, even after short exposure with dilute concentrations, against E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica biofilms. HIGHLIGHTS


1999 ◽  
Vol 62 (11) ◽  
pp. 1243-1247 ◽  
Author(s):  
SUSAN E. ANSAY ◽  
KIM A. DARLING ◽  
CHARLES W. KASPAR

The survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and of a nonpathogenic control strain of E. coli was monitored in raw ground beef that was stored at 2°C for 4 weeks, −2°C for 4 weeks, 15°C for 4 h and then −2°C for 4 weeks, and −20°C. Irradiated ground beef was inoculated with one E. coli control strain or with a four-strain cocktail of E. coli O157:H7 (ca. 105 CFU/g), formed into patties (30 to 45 g), and stored at the appropriate temperature. The numbers of the E. coli control strain decreased by 1.4 log10 CFU/g, and pathogen numbers declined 1.9 log10 CFU/g when patties were stored for 4 weeks at 2°C. When patties were stored at −2°C for 4 weeks, the numbers of the E. coli control strain and the serotype O157:H7 strains decreased 2.8 and 1.5 log10 CFU/g, respectively. Patties stored at 15°C for 4 h prior to storage at −2°C for 4 weeks resulted in 1.6 and 2.7 log10–CFU/g reduction in the numbers of E. coli and E. coli O157:H7, respectively. Storage of retail ground beef at 15°C for 4 h (tempering) did not result in increased numbers of colony forming units per gram, as determined with violet red bile, MRS lactobacilli, and plate-count agars. Frozen storage (−20°C) of ground-beef patties that had been inoculated with a single strain of E. coli resulted in approximately a 1 to 2 log10–CFU/g reduction in the numbers of the control strain and individual serotype O157:H7 strains after 1 year. There was no significant difference between the survival of the control strain and the O157:H7 strains, nor was there a difference between O157:H7 strains. These data demonstrate that tempering of ground-beef patties prior to low-temperature storage accelerated the decline in the numbers of E. coli O157:H7.


2013 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 668-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRIS TIMMONS ◽  
SHEFALI DOBHAL ◽  
JACQUELINE FLETCHER ◽  
LI MARIA MA

Foodborne illnesses caused by Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli O157:H7 are worldwide health concerns. Rapid, sensitive, and robust detection of these pathogens in foods and in clinical and environmental samples is essential for routine food quality testing, effective surveillance, and outbreak investigations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect on PCR sensitivity of adding a short, AT-rich overhanging nucleotide sequence (flap) to the 5′ end of PCR primers specific for the detection of Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7. Primers targeting the invA gene of Salmonella and the rfbE gene of E. coli O157:H7 were synthesized with or without a 12-bp, AT-rich 5′ flap (5′-AATAAATCATAA-3′). Singleplex PCR, multiplex PCR, and real-time PCR sensitivity assays were conducted using purified bacterial genomic DNA and crude cell lysates of bacterial cells. The effect of background flora on detection was evaluated by spiking tomato and jalapeno pepper surface washes with E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Saintpaul. When targeting individual pathogens, end-point PCR assays using flap-amended primers were more efficient than nonamended primers, with 20.4 and 23.5% increases in amplicon yield for Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7, respectively. In multiplex PCR assays, a 10- to 100-fold increase in detection sensitivity was observed when the primer flap sequence was incorporated. This improvement in both singleplex and multiplex PCR efficiency and sensitivity can lead to improved Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 detection.


1994 ◽  
Vol 57 (9) ◽  
pp. 780-783 ◽  
Author(s):  
TONG ZHAO ◽  
MICHAEL P. DOYLE

The fate of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 was determined in three different lots of commercial mayonnaise, including four different samples from a lot implicated in an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infection. The initial pH of the products ranged from 3.6 to 3.9. Products were inoculated with 6.5 × 103 E. coli O157:H7/g and incubated at 5 or 20°C. Escherichia coli O157:H7 did not grow at either temperature but survived for 34 to 55 days at 5°C and for 8 to 21 days at 20°C, depending on the lot. Survival was greatest in real mayonnaise purchased at retail among six mayonnaise samples which included a reduced calorie mayonnaise. Escherichia coli O157:H7 populations decreased between 2- and 100-fold by 3 weeks at 5°C, and between 10- and 1,000-fold by 7 days at 20°C. There was little or no change in pH (<0.1 unit), aerobic plate count, mold and yeast count or Lactobacillus count (< 1 log10 CFU/g) for the duration of the study. Commercial mayonnaise manufactured under good manufacturing practices is not a public health concern. Abusive handling of mayonnaise resulting in cross-contamination with E. coli O157:H7-contaminated food or contamination by an infected foodhandler is the principal basis for concern.


2000 ◽  
Vol 63 (10) ◽  
pp. 1433-1437 ◽  
Author(s):  
KAZUE TAKEUCHI ◽  
CLAUDIA M. MATUTE ◽  
ASHRAF N. HASSAN ◽  
JOSEPH F. FRANK

Attachment of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Pseudomonas fluorescens on iceberg lettuce was evaluated by plate count and confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM). Attachment of each microorganism (∼108 CFU/ml) on the surface and the cut edge of lettuce leaves was determined. E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes attached preferentially to cut edges, while P. fluorescens attached preferentially to the intact surfaces. Differences in attachment at the two sites were greatest with L. monocytogenes. Salmonella Typhimurium attached equally to the two sites. At the surface, P. fluorescens attached in greatest number, followed by E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella Typhimurium. Attached microorganisms on lettuce were stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate and visualized by CSLM. Images at the surface and the cut edge of lettuce confirmed the plate count data. In addition, microcolony formation by P. fluorescens was observed on the lettuce surface. Some cells of each microorganism at the cut edge were located within the lettuce tissues, indicating that penetration occurred from the cut edge surface. The results of this study indicate that different species of microorganisms attach differently to lettuce structures, and CSLM can be successfully used to detect these differences.


1999 ◽  
Vol 62 (7) ◽  
pp. 747-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
KUMAR S. VENKITANARAYANAN ◽  
TONG ZHAO ◽  
MICHAEL P. DOYLE

The antibacterial activity of lactoferricin B on enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in 1% peptone medium and ground beef was studied at 4 and 10°C. In 1% peptone medium, 50 and 100 μg of lactoferricin B per ml reduced E. coli O157:H7 populations by approximately 0.7 and 2.0 log CFU/ml, respectively. Studies comparing the antibacterial effect of lactoferricin B on E. coli O157:H7 in 1% peptone at pH 5.5 and 7.2 did not reveal any significant difference (P > 0.5) at the two pH values. Lactoferricin B (100 μg/g) reduced E. coli O157:H7 population in ground beef by about 0.8 log CFU/g (P < 0.05). No significant difference (P > 0.5) was observed in the total plate count between treatment and control ground beef samples stored at 4 and 10°C. The antibacterial effect of lactoferricin B on E. coli O157:H7 observed in this study is not of sufficient magnitude to merit its use in ground beef for controlling the pathogen.


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