Monitoring Biofilm Formation and Microbial Interactions that May Occur During a Contamination Incident across the Network of a Water Bottling Plant.

The present study aims to monitor the ability of to colonize and compete as a member of the mixed species biofilm within key points at a water bottling plant, in case of a contamination incident with this major foodborne pathogen. To achieve this goal, bacterial communities throughout the production line were collected and their identities were investigated by microbial counts and polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). These bacterial communities alone or along with constructed serovar Typhimurium (ST) fluorescence-based bioreporters were left to form a biofilm on stainless steel for 6 days at 20 °C.

Hydrosol of Thymbra capitata Is a Highly Efficient Biocide against Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Biofilms.

Unlabelled: Salmonella is recognized as one of the most significant enteric foodborne bacterial pathogens. In recent years, the resistance of pathogens to biocides and other environmental stresses, especially when they are embedded in biofilm structures, has led to the search for and development of novel antimicrobial strategies capable of displaying both high efficiency and safety. In this direction, the aims of the present work were to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of hydrosol of the Mediterranean spice Thymbra capitata against both planktonic and biofilm cells of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and to compare its action with that of benzalkonium chloride (BC), a commonly used industrial biocide.