title: Optimization of chitosan treatments for managing microflora in lettuce seeds without affecting germination.
abstract: Many studies have focused on seed decontamination but no one has been capable of eliminating all pathogenic bacteria. Two objectives were followed. First, to assess the in vitro antimicrobial activity of chitosan against: (a) Escherichia coli O157:H7, (b) native microflora of lettuce and (c) native microflora of lettuce seeds. Second, to evaluate the efficiency of chitosan on reducing microflora on lettuce seeds. The overall goal was to find a combination of contact time and chitosan concentration that reduces the microflora of lettuce seeds, without affecting germination. After treatment lettuce seeds presented no detectable microbial counts (<10(2)CFU/50 seeds) for all populations. Moreover, chitosan eliminated E. coli. Regardless of the reduction in the microbial load, a 90% reduction on germination makes imbibition with chitosan, uneconomical. Subsequent treatments identified the optimal treatment as 10 min contact with a 10 g/L chitosan solution, which maintained the highest germination percentage.
authors.affiliation: Concejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Argentina. ggoni@fi.mdp.edu.ar
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Goñi
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Viacava
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Roura
mesh_terms: D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000187:drug effects; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005520:Food Preservatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018525:Germination / Q000187:drug effects; D018545:Lactuca / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D000455:Medicago sativa / Q000382:microbiology; D012639:Seeds / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D005520:Food Preservatives; D048271:Chitosan