title: Egg white versus Salmonella Enteritidis! A harsh medium meets a resilient pathogen.
abstract: Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is the prevalent egg-product-related food-borne pathogen. The egg-contamination capacity of S. Enteritidis includes its exceptional survival capability within the harsh conditions provided by egg white. Egg white proteins, such as lysozyme and ovotransferrin, are well known to play important roles in defence against bacterial invaders. Indeed, several additional minor proteins and peptides have recently been found to play known or potential roles in protection against bacterial contamination. However, although such antibacterial proteins are well studied, little is known about their efficacy under the environmental conditions prevalent in egg white. Thus, the influence of factors such as temperature, alkalinity, nutrient restriction, viscosity and cooperative interactions on the activities of antibacterial proteins in egg white remains unclear. This review critically assesses the available evidence on the antimicrobial components of egg white. In addition, mechanisms employed by S. Enteritidis to resist egg white exposure are also considered along with various genetic studies that have shed light upon egg white resistance systems. We also consider how multiple, antibacterial proteins operate in association with specific environmental factors within egg white to generate a lethal protective cocktail that preserves sterility.
authors.affiliation: Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1253 Science et Technologie du Lait et de l'Œuf, F-35042 Rennes, France; INRA, UMR1253 Science et Technologie du Lait et de l'Œuf, F-35042 Rennes, France. Electronic address: florence.baron@agrocampus-ouest.fr.
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.affiliation: Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1253 Science et Technologie du Lait et de l'Œuf, F-35042 Rennes, France; INRA, UMR1253 Science et Technologie du Lait et de l'Œuf, F-35042 Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nau
authors.affiliation: Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1253 Science et Technologie du Lait et de l'Œuf, F-35042 Rennes, France; INRA, UMR1253 Science et Technologie du Lait et de l'Œuf, F-35042 Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guérin-Dubiard
authors.affiliation: Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1253 Science et Technologie du Lait et de l'Œuf, F-35042 Rennes, France; INRA, UMR1253 Science et Technologie du Lait et de l'Œuf, F-35042 Rennes, France; Université de Rennes I, 2 rue du Thabor, Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonnassie
authors.affiliation: Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1253 Science et Technologie du Lait et de l'Œuf, F-35042 Rennes, France; INRA, UMR1253 Science et Technologie du Lait et de l'Œuf, F-35042 Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gautier
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Knight Building, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AJ, UK.
authors.forename: Simon C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.affiliation: Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1253 Science et Technologie du Lait et de l'Œuf, F-35042 Rennes, France; INRA, UMR1253 Science et Technologie du Lait et de l'Œuf, F-35042 Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D003470:Culture Media / Q000378:metabolism; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004529:Egg White / Q000382:microbiology*; D012477:Salmonella enteritidis / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004527:Egg Proteins
keywords: Antimicrobial activities; Egg white; Lysozyme; Ovotransferrin; Salmonella Enteritidis