Spread of a Green Fluorescent Protein–Tagged Pseudomonas putida in a Water Pipe following Airborne Contamination

An aerosol of green fluorescent protein–tagged Pseudomonas putida, created during high-pressure water cleaning of a coupon colonized by a biofilm of the green fluorescent protein bacterium, contaminated the water supply of an experimental setup. The upward spread of P. putida in a vertical pipe of supply water was 4.3 cm/day. Results highlight that a water supply to a food plant can be contaminated by an aerosol of environmental flora, created in typical cleaning operations, and become a reoccurring source of contamination. A practical response that could be taken in a food plant is briefly discussed.