title: Use of organic acids for prevention and removal of Bacillus subtilis biofilms on food contact surfaces.
abstract: The efficacies of organic acid (citric, malic, and gallic acids) treatments at 1% and 2% concentrations on prevention and removal of Bacillus subtilis biofilms were investigated in this study. The analyses were conducted on microtitration plates and stainless steel coupons. The biofilm removal activities of these organic acids were compared with chlorine on both surfaces. The results showed that citric acid treatments were as powerful as chlorine treatments for prevention and removal of biofilms. The antibiofilm effects of malic acid treatments were higher than gallic acid and less than citric acid treatment. When the antibiofilm effects of these acids and chlorine on the two surfaces were compared, the prevention and removal of biofilms were measured higher on microtitration plates than those on stainless steel coupons. Higher reductions were obtained by increasing concentrations of sanitizers on 24-hour biofilm with 20-minute sanitizer treatments for removal of biofilms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Gebze Technical University, Gebze-Kocaeli, Turkey akbasm@gtu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Meltem Yesilcimen
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Akbas
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Gebze Technical University, Gebze-Kocaeli, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seyda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cag
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D002713:Chlorine / Q000737:chemistry; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000737:chemistry*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D013193:Stainless Steel
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants; D013193:Stainless Steel; D002713:Chlorine
keywords: Bacillus subtilis; biofilm prevention; biofilm removal; food contact surfaces; organic acids