Physiological effects of high hydrostatic pressure treatments on Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium

The effect of a high hydrostatic pressure treatment on the Gram-positive Listeria monocytogenes strain Scott A and the Gram-negative Salmonella typhimurium strain Mutton (ATCC13 311) has been determined in stationary phase cell suspensions. Pressure treatments were done at room temperature for 10 min in sodium citrate (pH 5.6) and sodium phosphate (pH 7.0) suspension buffers. Increasing pressure treatments resulted in an exponential decrease of cell counts. Salmonella typhimurium suspended at low pH was more sensitive to pressure treatments. Progressive morphological changes were evident with the pressure increase. Cell lysis only appeared with the highest pressure treatments. Cell volume was not affected by pressure treatment. A progressive decrease of deltapH (pHin - pHout), intracellular potassium and ATP contents was demonstrated with the pressure increase. A parallel lowering of membrane potentials was measured.     

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the activity of intracellular enzymes of Listeria monocytogenes

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure (100–550 MPa, 15 min, ambient temperature) on the activity of 13 metabolic enzymes produced by all three strains of Listeria monocytogenes (NCTC 11994, a poultry isolate and Scott A) was examined using gel electrophoresis. The enzymes assayed exhibited a wide variation in barotolerance. The pressure resistance of each particular enzyme was not dependent on the strain from which it was derived. This would seem to indicate that these enzymes were not a determining factor in relation to previously observed differences in the overall pressure resistance of the three strains.     

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure on Listeria monocytogenes in phosphate-buffered saline and model food systems

Three strains of Listeria monocytogenes (NCTC 11994, a poultry isolate and the Scott A strain) were exposed to a range of pressures (300, 350, 375, 400 and 450 MPa) in 10 mmol l⁻¹ phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at pH 7·0 for up to 30 min at ambient temperature. Generally, increasing the magnitude and duration of compression resulted in increasing levels of inactivation, although the inactivation kinetics varied depending on the strain and pressure applied. The three strains also exhibited a wide variation in their resistance to high pressure. The resistance of the three strains to high pressure (375 MPa) was also assessed in a series of model food systems containing one of each of the three main food constituents: protein (1, 2, 5 and 8% w/v bovine serum albumin in PBS), carbohydrate (1, 2, 5 and 10% w/v glucose in PBS) and lipid (olive oil (30% v/v) in PBS emulsion). Overall, increasing the concentrations of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and glucose in the suspending medium resulted in decreasing levels of inactivation of all three strains; however, the minimum concentration of BSA and glucose required to increase survival to a level greater than that observed in PBS alone varied depending on the strain and on the duration of the treatment. The survival of all three strains was greater in the olive oil/PBS emulsion than in PBS alone at all treatment times.     

Morphological and physiological characterization of Listeria monocytogenes subjected to high hydrostatic pressure

High hydrostatic pressure is a new food preservation technology known for its capacity to inactivate spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. That inactivation is usually assessed by the number of colonies growing on solid media after treatment. Under normal conditions the method does not permit recovery of damaged cells and may underestimate the number of cells that will remain viable and grow after a few days in high-pressure-processed foodstuffs. This study investigated the damage inflicted on Listeria monocytogenes cells treated by high pressure for 10 min at 400 MPa in pH 5.6 citrate buffer. Under these conditions, no cell growth occurred after 48 h on plate count agar. Scanning electron microscopy, light scattering by flow cytometry, and cell volume measurements were compared to evaluate the morphological changes in cells after pressurization. All these methods revealed that cellular morphology was not really affected. Esterase activity, as assessed either by enzymatic activity assays or by carboxy fluorescein diacetate fluorescence monitored by flow cytometry, was dramatically lowered, but not totally obliterated, under the effects of treatment. The measurement of propidium iodide uptake followed by flow cytometry demonstrated that membrane integrity was preserved in a small part of the population, although the membrane potential measured by analytical methods or evaluated by oxonol uptake was reduced from -86 to -5 mV. These results showed that such combined methods as fluorescent dyes monitored by flow cytometry and physiological activity measurements provide valuable indications of cellular viability.     

Characterization of a Listeria monocytogenes Scott A isolate with high tolerance towards high hydrostatic pressure

An isolate of L. monocytogenes Scott A that is tolerant to high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), named AK01, was isolated upon a single pressurization treatment of 400 MPa for 20 min and was further characterized. The survival of exponential- and stationary-phase cells of AK01 in ACES [N-(2-acetamido)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid] buffer was at least 2 log units higher than that of the wild type over a broad range of pressures (150 to 500 MPa), while both strains showed higher HHP tolerance (piezotolerance) in the stationary than in the exponential phase of growth. In semiskim milk, exponential-phase cells of both strains showed lower reductions upon pressurization than in buffer, but again, AK01 was more piezotolerant than the wild type. The piezotolerance of AK01 was retained for at least 40 generations in rich medium, suggesting a stable phenotype. Interestingly, cells of AK01 lacked flagella, were elongated, and showed slightly lower maximum specific growth rates than the wild type at 8, 22, and 30 degrees C. Moreover, the piezotolerant strain AK01 showed increased resistance to heat, acid, and H(2)O(2) compared with the wild type. The difference in HHP tolerance between the piezotolerant strain and the wild-type strain could not be attributed to differences in membrane fluidity, since strain AK01 and the wild type had identical in situ lipid melting curves as determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The demonstrated occurrence of a piezotolerant isolate of L. monocytogenes underscores the need to further investigate the mechanisms underlying HHP resistance of food-borne microorganisms, which in turn will contribute to the appropriate design of safe, accurate, and feasible HHP treatments.     

Statistical analysis of inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes subjected to high hydrostatic pressure and heat in milk buffer

Previous unpublished experimental results of fractional factorial experiments showed that significant external factors affecting high-pressure processing (HPP) inactivation were pressure, temperature, and pressure holding time. Based on these results, response surface methodology (RSM) was employed in the present work, and a quadratic equation for HPP inactivation was built with RSM. By analyzing response surface plots and their corresponding contour plots and by solving the quadratic equation, experimental values were shown to be significantly in good agreement with predicted values, since the adjusted determination coefficient (R _Adj ²) was 0.9812 and the level of significance was P<0.0001. Optimum process parameters for a 6-log cycle reduction of Listeria monocytogenes were obtained: pressure, 448.0 MPa; temperature, 41°C; and pressure holding time, 11 min. The adequacy of the model equation in predicting optimum response values was verified effectively by validation data.     

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure on eukaryotic protein synthesis

The pressure response of two eukaryotic protein synthesizing systems has been characterized. The rabbit reticulocyte system has been tested, both in vivo and in vitro, using endogenous polysomes and polyuridylic acid (poly U). In addition, the poly U-directed polyphenylalanine synthesizing system obtained from wheat germ was utilized. The effect of pressure on eukaryotic protein synthesis has been found to be basically similar to that observed in prokaryotic systems, although the response of the eukaryotic protein synthesizing system is somewhat more complex signifying a greater influence of overlapping reactions. Magnesium was found to affect eukaryotic systems in much the same way as has been reported for prokaryotic systems, i.e., increasing the Mg²⁺ concentration in a protein synthesizing system increases the barotolerance exhibited by that system. Under conditions of high Mg²⁺ concentration, however, extreme (up to 160%) stimulation of protein synthesis at lower pressure levels was observed in the eukaryotic systems. Such high stimulation is not apparent in prokaryotic systems. The poly U-directed wheat germ system exhibited the most barotolerant polypeptide synthesis ever seen in our laboratory. This extreme barotolerance was only slightly decreased when the system was tested at reduced concentrations of magnesium.     

Temperature-dependent expression of flagella of Listeria monocytogenes studied by electron microscopy, SDS-PAGE and western blotting

Washed cells of Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b, grown in broth culture at 20 degrees C and at 37 degrees C, were examined by electron microscopy for the presence of flagella. Many flagella were seen in cells grown at 20 degrees C, whereas at 37 degrees C very few were expressed. Flagella sheared from the cell surface were partially purified by differential centrifugation. Using SDS-PAGE and Western blotting two distinct protein bands were seen in this preparation, both with an apparent molecular mass of approximately 29 kDa. Further purification of these proteins was achieved by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. Whole organisms grown at 20 degrees C and 37 degrees C were examined in Western blots using an affinity-purified polyclonal antibody, and a monoclonal antibody, both directed against 29 kDa putative flagellin. Bacteria grown at 20 degrees C expressed abundant flagellin, whereas only trace amounts could be detected in organisms grown at 37 degrees C. It is concluded that organisms grown at 20 degrees C both produce and assemble flagellin at the cell surface, and that flagellin production is a less marked feature of organisms grown at 37 degrees C.     

Enhanced levels of cold shock proteins in Listeria monocytogenes LO28 upon exposure to low temperature and high hydrostatic pressure

Listeria monocytogenes is a psychrotrophic food-borne pathogen that is problematic for the food industry because of its ubiquitous distribution in nature and its ability to grow at low temperatures and in the presence of high salt concentrations. Here we demonstrate that the process of adaptation to low temperature after cold shock includes elevated levels of cold shock proteins (CSPs) and that the levels of CSPs are also elevated after treatment with high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis combined with Western blotting performed with anti-CspB of Bacillus subtilis was used to identify four 7-kDa proteins, designated Csp1, Csp2, Csp3, and Csp4. In addition, Southern blotting revealed four chromosomal DNA fragments that reacted with a csp probe, which also indicated that a CSP family is present in L. monocytogenes LO28. After a cold shock in which the temperature was decreased from 37 degrees C to 10 degrees C the levels of Csp1 and Csp3 increased 10- and 3.5-fold, respectively, but the levels of Csp2 and Csp4 were not elevated. Pressurization of L. monocytogenes LO28 cells resulted in 3.5- and 2-fold increases in the levels of Csp1 and Csp2, respectively. Strikingly, the level of survival after pressurization of cold-shocked cells was 100-fold higher than that of cells growing exponentially at 37 degrees C. These findings imply that cold-shocked cells are protected from HHP treatment, which may affect the efficiency of combined preservation techniques.     

Biofilm formation by Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes on plastic surface

AIMS: To investigate the biofilm formation by 122 Salmonella spp. and 48 Listeria monocytogenes strains on a plastic surface. METHODS: Quantification of biofilm formation was performed in brain heart infusion (BHI), trypcase soya broth (TSB), meat broth (MB) and 1/20 diluted trypcase soya broth (1/20-TSB) in plastic microtitre plates. RESULTS: All tested Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes strains produced biofilm in a suitable medium. However, the quantities of biofilm produced by Salmonella spp. were greater than those produced by tested L. monocytogenes strains. The nutrient content of the medium significantly influenced the quantity of produced biofilm. Diluted TSB was the most effective in promoting biofilm production by Salmonella spp., followed by TSB, while the least quantity of biofilm was formed in BHI and MB. L. monocytogenes produced the highest quantities of biofilm in BHI, followed by TSA, then MB, and the least quantities of biofilm were produced in 1/20-TSB. CONCLUSIONS: Salmonella spp. produces more biofilm in nutrient-poor medium, while L. monocytogenes produce more biofilm in nutrient-rich medium.     

Survival of Salmonella enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes on salad vegetables

The influence of initial head-spaces of air – 4.9% CO₂/2.1% O₂/93% N₂ and 5% CO₂/5.2% O₂/89.8% N₂ – on Salmonella enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes, and on microbial association with shredded carrots and lettuce was studied at 4 °C. Both these pathogens survived but did not grow in any vegetable regardless of the packaging system used. Total viable count, lactic acid bacteria and pseudomonads were also monitored. Lactic acid bacteria were the predominant organisms in all samples. The pH dropped significantly during the storage of vegetables.     

超高压对单增李斯特菌细胞膜的损伤和致死机理

【目的】研究超高压对病原微生物单增李斯特菌细胞膜损伤的影响。【方法】本文以单增李斯特菌为研究对象,探讨了不同压力处理(100-500 MPa)对单增李斯特菌的灭活作用,利用透射电镜观察高压处理对细菌细胞超微结构的影响,通过紫外分光光度法、原子吸收分光光度法和荧光分光光度法测定高压处理对细菌细胞膜通透性的影响,采用超微量Na+/K+-ATP酶试剂盒测定高压处理对细菌细胞膜Na+/K+-ATP酶活力的影响。【结果】25℃经300、350、400 MPa压力处理15 min后,单增李斯特菌总数由9.00分别降至5.20、3.27、1.35个对数单位,经450MPa及以上的压力处理后,单增李斯特菌的致死率达到100%。超高压处理对单增李斯特菌的细胞超微结构造成明显的损伤,细胞结构不完整,细胞壁局部被破坏,细胞膜通透性增大,细胞内物质聚合,出现透电子区。由于细胞膜的损伤使得细胞内无机盐离子、紫外吸收物质流出,细胞膜上的Na+/K+-ATPase失活。【结论】超高压处理造成单增李斯特菌细胞形态结构明显损伤,改变细胞膜的通透性,降低细胞膜上Na+/K+-ATP酶活力,最终使得细胞内无机盐离子和胞内大分子物质外流而死亡。     

Food processing by high hydrostatic pressure

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) process, as a nonthermal process, can be used to inactivate microbes while minimizing chemical reactions in food. In this regard, a HHP level of 100 MPa (986.9 atm/1019.7 kgf/cm²) and more is applied to food. Conventional thermal process damages food components relating color, flavor, and nutrition via enhanced chemical reactions. However, HHP process minimizes the damages and inactivates microbes toward processing high quality safe foods. The first commercial HHP-processed foods were launched in 1990 as fruit products such as jams, and then some other products have been commercialized: retort rice products (enhanced water impregnation), cooked hams and sausages (shelf life extension), soy sauce with minimized salt (short-time fermentation owing to enhanced enzymatic reactions), and beverages (shelf life extension). The characteristics of HHP food processing are reviewed from viewpoints of nonthermal process, history, research and development, physical and biochemical changes, and processing equipment.