title: Biofilm-producing ability of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from Brazilian cheese processing plants.
abstract: The persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in food industry environments has been associated to the ability of specific isolates to produce biofilms. This study aimed to evaluate the biofilm production of 85 L. monocytogenes strains previously isolated from samples of cheese, brine and the environment of two cheese processing plants located in São Paulo, Brazil. The L. monocytogenes isolates belonged to serotypes 4b, 1/2b and 1/2c, yielded 30 different pulsotypes by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and were submitted to biofilm-formation assays on polystyrene microplates and stainless steel coupons incubated statically at 35±0.5°C for 48h. All isolates from different sources showed ability to produce biofilms on polystyrene microplates, from which 21 (24.7%) also produced biofilms on stainless steel. Four isolates (4.7%) belonging to four different pulsotypes were classified as strong biofilms-producers on polystyrene microplates, while isolates belonging to four pulsotypes previously evaluated as persistent had weak or moderate ability to produce biofilms on polystyrene microplates. No relationship between the serotypes or pulsotypes and their biofilm-forming ability was observed. This study highlights the high variability in the biofilm production among L. monocytogenes strains collected from cheese and cheese-production environment, also indicating that strong biofilm-formation ability is not a key factor for persistence of specific isolates in cheese processing plants.
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo, School of Animal Science and Food Engineering, Department of Food Engineering, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, CEP 13635-900 Pirassununga, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sarah Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: In Lee
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo, College of Agriculture "Luiz de Queiroz", Department of Agro-Industry, Food and Nutrition, CEP 13418-900 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giovana Verginia
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Barancelli
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical Analyses, São Paulo, SP CEP 05508-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tarsila Mendes
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: de Camargo
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo, School of Animal Science and Food Engineering, Department of Food Engineering, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, CEP 13635-900 Pirassununga, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Humberto
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Corassin
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo, School of Animal Science and Food Engineering, Department of Food Engineering, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, CEP 13635-900 Pirassununga, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roice Eliana
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Rosim
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Food Department, CEP 20270-021 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriano Gomes
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: da Cruz
authors.affiliation: Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Food Technology Department, CEP 23890-000 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leandro Pereira
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Cappato
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo, School of Animal Science and Food Engineering, Department of Food Engineering, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, CEP 13635-900 Pirassununga, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: carlosaf@usp.br.
authors.forename: Carlos Augusto Fernandes
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D001938:Brazil; D002611:Cheese / Q000382:microbiology*; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D004867:Equipment Design; D005506:Food Contamination; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005525:Food-Processing Industry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry; D012492:Salts / Q000032:analysis; D013193:Stainless Steel / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D011137:Polystyrenes; D012492:Salts; C017082:brine; D013193:Stainless Steel
keywords: Biofilm; Cheese plants; L. monocytogenes; Persistence