Biomaterial Database

Microbial antagonists of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on fresh-cut lettuce and spinach. 2009

Michael A Johnston, and Mark A Harrison, and Ruth A Morrow

Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.

Fresh-cut lettuce and spinach can become contaminated with pathogens at numerous points from the field to the retail market. Natural microflora present on fresh produce may help reduce the pathogen load. The objective of this study was to isolate natural microflora from fresh-cut iceberg lettuce and baby spinach and to determine whether these bacteria were antagonistic toward Escherichia coli O157:H7. Samples were collected under conditions that mimicked actual practices between production and retail sale. Evidence of naturally occurring microorganisms on fresh lettuce (295 isolates) and spinach (200 isolates) and of possible antagonistic activity toward E. coli O157:H7 was documented. Inhibitory activity by several isolates was due to either acid production or antimicrobial peptides. Bacteria with inhibitory activity were isolated from every step in the processing and handling of the fresh-cut iceberg lettuce and baby spinach.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D003257	Consumer Product Safety	The sum total of measures taken and regulatory policies enacted to ensure the safe use of consumer products.	Safety, Consumer Product,Product Approval,Product Approvals,Product Safety, Consumer
D005506	Food Contamination	The presence in food of harmful, unpalatable, or otherwise objectionable foreign substances, e.g. chemicals, microorganisms or diluents, before, during, or after processing or storage.	Food Adulteration,Adulteration, Food,Adulterations, Food,Contamination, Food,Contaminations, Food,Food Adulterations,Food Contaminations
D005511	Food Handling	Any aspect of the operations in the preparation, processing, transport, storage, packaging, wrapping, exposure for sale, service, or delivery of food.	Food Processing,Handling, Food,Processing, Food
D005516	Food Microbiology	The presence of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in food and food products. This term is not restricted to pathogenic organisms: the presence of various non-pathogenic bacteria and fungi in cheeses and wines, for example, is included in this concept.	Microbiology, Food
D005519	Food Preservation	Procedures or techniques used to keep food from spoiling.	Preservation, Food
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000898	Antibiosis	A natural association between organisms that is detrimental to at least one of them. This often refers to the production of chemicals by one microorganism that is harmful to another.	Bacterial Interference,Microbial Antagonism,Interference, Bacterial,Antagonism, Microbial,Antagonisms, Microbial,Antibioses,Bacterial Interferences,Interferences, Bacterial,Microbial Antagonisms
D013696	Temperature	The property of objects that determines the direction of heat flow when they are placed in direct thermal contact. The temperature is the energy of microscopic motions (vibrational and translational) of the particles of atoms.	Temperatures
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D018407	Bacterial Physiological Phenomena	Physiological processes and properties of BACTERIA.	Bacterial Physiology,Bacterial Processes,Bacterial Physiological Concepts,Bacterial Physiological Phenomenon,Bacterial Process,Physiology, Bacterial,Bacterial Physiological Concept,Concept, Bacterial Physiological,Concepts, Bacterial Physiological,Phenomena, Bacterial Physiological,Phenomenon, Bacterial Physiological,Process, Bacterial,Processes, Bacterial