title: Comparison of different reducing agents for enhanced detection of heat-injured Listeria monocytogenes.
abstract: The effect of different reducing agents (L-cysteine, Oxyrase, and Enterococcus faecium) and their combinations on the detection of heat-injured (62.8 degrees C, 7.5 min or 10 min) Listeria monocytogenes was examined. The incorporation of L-Cysteine (0.5 g/liter) yielded higher percentage detection than any of the other reducing agents (P < 0.05). The combination of Oxyrase (10 U/ml) and E. faecium (10(3) CFU/ml) synergistically enhanced the detection of L. monocytogenes heat-injured for 10 min at 62.8 degrees C (P < 0.05). Simultaneous addition of L-cysteine (0.5 g/liter) and Oxyrase (10 U/ml) significantly lowered the recovery of heat-injured L. monocytogenes (P < 0.05). Higher activities of Oxyrase (50 U/ml) inhibited the detection of heat-injured L. monocytogenes (P < 0.05). The rates of depletion of relative percentage O2 were in the order: L-cysteine (0.5 g/liter; 6.63%/ min) > Oxyrase (10 U/ml; 5.00%/min) > E. faecium (10(8) CFU/ml; 1.66%/min) > E. faecium (10(3) CFU/ml; 0.20%/min). The final levels of redox potential (Eh) achieved were -110.5 mV, -100 mV, -83.5 mV, and -25 mV for E. faecium (10(8) CFU/ml), L-cysteine, Oxyrase, and E. faecium (10(3) CFU/ml), respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, South Korea.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Knabel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003470:Culture Media; D003545:Cysteine / Q000494:pharmacology; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000502:physiology; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010105:Oxygenases / Q000494:pharmacology; D019163:Reducing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D019163:Reducing Agents; D010105:Oxygenases; C072755:Oxyrase; D003545:Cysteine