title: Antibacterial effects of long-chain polyphosphates on selected spoilage and pathogenic bacteria.
abstract: The antimicrobial activities of four long-chain food-grade polyphosphates were studied at concentrations allowed in the food industry (<5,000 ppm) in defined basal media by determining the inhibition of growth of three gram-negative and four gram-positive spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Both generation time and lag phase of Escherichia coli K-12, E. coli O157: H7, and Salmonella Typhimurium were increased with all of the polyphosphates tested. Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus were more sensitive to polyphosphates, but not in all cases, with multiphased growth. The growth of Lactobacillus plantarum was inhibited by polyphosphates at concentrations above 750 ppm, but the lag time of Listeria monocytogenes was shortened by the presence of polyphosphates. No single polyphosphate was maximally inhibitory against all bacteria. Polyphosphates with chain lengths of 12 to 15 were significantly different from those with chain lengths of 18 to 21 depending on the organism and concentrations of polyphosphate used. Overall, higher polyphosphate concentrations resulted in greater inhibition of bacterial growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, East Campus, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583, USA.
authors.forename: Jeremy A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Obritsch
authors.forename: Dojin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Lucina E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Lampila
authors.forename: Lloyd B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Bullerman
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011122:Polyphosphates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D011122:Polyphosphates