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Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2010 Publication Date: 8/21/2010 Citation: Patel, J.R. 2010. Interaction of Salmonella enterica with Fresh Produce Leaves. United States and Japan Natural Resources Conference Proceedings. Food Safety No. 6. Interpretive Summary: Salmonella attachment to produce surfaces is the first step in a contamination event. We determined the ability of Salmonella enterica serovars to attach to and colonize intact and cut lettuce and cabbage surfaces. Salmonella Tennessee and Salmonella Thompson produced stronger biofilms compared to Salmonella Newport, Salmonella Negev, and Salmonella Braenderup. All Salmonella serovars attached rapidly on intact and cut produce surfaces. Salmonella attached to Romaine lettuce at significantly higher numbers than those attached to Iceberg lettuce or cabbage. Salmonella attached preferentially to cut surface of all produce. Salmonella attachment to intact and cut produce surfaces increased with time. Understanding the attachment mechanisms of Salmonella to different produce leaves might be useful in developing new intervention strategies to prevent produce outbreaks. Technical Abstract: Attachment and colonization of Salmonella enterica serovars to fresh produce leaves was investigated. Biofilm assay and attachment of Salmonella serovars to intact and cut leaves were determined. Salmonella Tennessee and Salmonella Thompson produced stronger biofilms compared to Salmonella Newport, Salmonella Negev, and Salmonella Braenderup. All Salmonella serovars attached rapidly on intact and cut produce surfaces. Salmonella attached to Romaine lettuce at significantly higher number than those attached to Iceberg lettuce or cabbage. Salmonella attached preferentially to cut surface of all produce; however, the difference between Salmonella populations attached to intact and cut surfaces was similar (P < 0.05). Salmonella attachment to both intact and cut produce surfaces increased with time. Overall, S. Tennessee displayed more biofilm formation in vitro and attached more strongly to lettuce than other serovars. Cabbage, intact or cut, did not support attachment of Salmonella as well as Romaine lettuce. Understanding the attachment mechanisms of Salmonella to produce may be useful in developing new intervention strategies to prevent produce outbreaks. |
