Influence of Apple Cultivars on Inactivation of Different Strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Apple Cider by UV Irradiation

This study examined the effect of different apple cultivars upon the UV inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains within unfiltered apple cider. Apple cider was prepared from eight different apple cultivars, inoculated with approximately 10⁶ to 10⁷ CFU of three strains of E. coli O157:H7 per ml (933, ATCC 43889, and ATCC 43895), and exposed to 14 mJ of UV irradiation per cm². Bacterial populations for treated and untreated samples were then enumerated by using nonselective media. E. coli O157:H7 ATCC 43889 showed the most sensitivity to this disinfection process with an average 6.63-log reduction compared to an average log reduction of 5.93 for both strains 933 and ATCC 43895. The highest log reduction seen, 7.19, occurred for strain ATCC 43889 in Rome cider. The same cider produced the lowest log reductions: 5.33 and 5.25 for strains 933 and ATCC 43895, respectively. Among the apple cultivars, an average log reduction range of 5.78 (Red Delicious) to 6.74 (Empire) was observed, with two statistically significant (α ≤ 0.05) log reduction groups represented. Within the paired cultivar-strain analysis, five of eight ciders showed statistically significant (α ≤ 0.05) differences in at least two of the E. coli strains used. Comparison of log reductions among the E. coli strains to the cider parameters of °Brix, pH, and malic acid content failed to show any statistically significant relationship (R² ≥ 0.95). However, the results of this study indicate that regardless of the apple cultivar used, a minimum 5-log reduction is achieved for all of the strains of E. coli O157:H7 tested.     

Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 ATCC 43895 in a Model Apple Juice Medium with Different Concentrations of Proline and Caffeic Acid

The effects of proline and caffeic acid on the survival of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 strain ATCC 43895 in a model apple juice medium were studied. It is hypothesized that the inhibitory effect of caffeic acid may explain why almost all outbreaks of STEC O157:H7 infections linked to apple juice or cider have occurred in October or November.     

Growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Bruised Apple (Malus domestica) Tissue as Influenced by Cultivar, Date of Harvest, and Source

Four of five apple cultivars (Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, McIntosh, Macoun, and Melrose) inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 promoted growth of the bacterium in bruised tissue independent of the date of harvest (i.e., degree of apple ripening) or the source of the apple (i.e., tree-picked or dropped fruit). Apple harvest for this study began 4 September 1998 and ended 9 October, with weekly sampling. Throughout this study, freshly picked (<2 days after harvest) McIntosh apples usually prevented the growth of E. coli O157:H7 for 2 days. Growth of E. coli O157:H7 did occur following 6 days of incubation in bruised McIntosh apple tissue. However, the maximum total cell number was approximately 80-fold less than the maximum total cell number recovered from Red Delicious apples. When fruit was stored for 1 month at 4°C prior to inoculation with E. coli O157:H7, all five cultivars supported growth of the bacterium. For each apple cultivar, the pH of bruised tissue was significantly higher and °Brix was significantly lower than the pH and °Brix of undamaged tissue regardless of the source. In freshly picked apples, changes in the pH did not occur over the harvest season. Bruised Golden Delicious, McIntosh, and Melrose apple tissue pHs were not significantly different (tree-picked or dropped), and the °Brix values of McIntosh, Macoun, and Melrose apple tissue were not significantly different. Single-cultivar preparations of cider did not support growth of E. coli, and the cell concentration of inoculated cider declined over an 11-day test period. The rate of decline in E. coli cell concentration in the McIntosh cider was greater than those in the other ciders tested. The findings of this study suggested that the presence of some factor besides, or in addition to, pH inhibited E. coli growth in McIntosh apples.     

Acid Resistance Systems Required for Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in the Bovine Gastrointestinal Tract and in Apple Cider Are Different

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a highly acid-resistant food-borne pathogen that survives in the bovine and human gastrointestinal tracts and in acidic foods such as apple cider. This property is thought to contribute to the low infectious dose of the organism. Three acid resistance (AR) systems are expressed in stationary-phase cells. AR system 1 is σ^S dependent, while AR systems 2 and 3 are glutamate and arginine dependent, respectively. In this study, we sought to determine which AR systems are important for survival in acidic foods and which are required for survival in the bovine intestinal tract. Wild-type and mutant E. coli O157:H7 strains deficient in AR system 1, 2, or 3 were challenged with apple cider and inoculated into calves. Wild-type cells, adapted at pH 5.5 in the absence of glucose (AR system 1 induced), survived well in apple cider. Conversely, the mutant deficient in AR system 1, shown previously to survive poorly in calves, was susceptible to apple cider (pH 3.5), and this sensitivity was shown to be caused by low pH. Interestingly, the AR system 2-deficient mutant survived in apple cider at high levels, but its shedding from calves was significantly decreased compared to that of wild-type cells. AR system 3-deficient cells survived well in both apple cider and calves. Taken together, these results indicate that E. coli O157:H7 utilizes different acid resistance systems based on the type of acidic environment encountered.     

Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Apple Juice by Irradiation

Three strains (932, Ent-C9490, and SEA13B88) of Escherichia coli O157:H7 were used to determine the effectiveness of low-dose gamma irradiation for eliminating E. coli O157:H7 from apple juice or cider and to characterize the effect of inducing pH-dependent, stationary-phase acid resistance on radiation resistance. The strains were grown in tryptic soy broth with or without 1% dextrose for 18 h to produce cells that were or were not induced to pH-dependent stationary-phase acid resistance. The bacteria were then transferred to clarified apple juice and irradiated at 2°C with a cesium-137 irradiator. Non-acid-adapted cells had radiation D values (radiation doses needed to decrease a microbial population by 90%) ranging from 0.12 to 0.21 kGy. D values increased to 0.22 to 0.31 kGy for acid-adapted cells. When acid-adapted SEA13B88 cells were tested in five apple juice brands having different levels of suspended solids (absorbances ranging from 0.04 to 2.01 at 550 nm), radiation resistance increased with increasing levels of suspended solids, with D values ranging from 0.26 to 0.35 kGy. Based on these results, a dose of 1.8 kGy should be sufficient to achieve the 5D inactivation of E. coli recommended by the National Advisory Committee for Microbiological Criteria for Foods.     

Fate ofescherichia coli andE. coli O157∶H7 in apple juice treated with propolis extract

Fruit juices are targets of spoilage moulds, yeasts and acid tolerant bacteria. They might be contaminated with bacteria from raw materials, environment, packaging and during the handling of the product. These contaminations have frequently resulted in the spoilage of fruit juice and consequently commercial losses. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of propolis in apple juice againstEscherichia coli andE. coli O157:H7 strains of the spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. For this purpose, apple juice was obtained from fresh apples and then was pasteurised. The pH value, titrable acidity (as % malic acid) and Brix degree of this apple juice were 3.72±0.10, 0.67±0.05% and 12.1±0.01, respectively. Propolis extract at 1,2 and 5% concentrations were tested to determine ofE. coli andE. coli O157:H7 inhibition using paper disc diffusion method. The control treatment had no propolis extract. The apple juices were contaminated with these bacteria, and the activity of propolis was observed at first, 18^th, 24^th, 48^th and 72^nd hours at 4 and 25°C. The number of cells in the tubes was counted using serial dilution method. Results indicated that propolis extract at 2 and 5% concentrations had significant antimicrobial activity againstE. coli andE. coli O157:H7, therefore we can conclude that propolis extract is worthy of further study as a natural preservative for the foods prone to microbial spoilage.     

Influence of apple cultivars on inactivation of different strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in apple cider by UV irradiation

This study examined the effect of different apple cultivars upon the UV inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains within unfiltered apple cider. Apple cider was prepared from eight different apple cultivars, inoculated with approximately 10(6) to 10(7) CFU of three strains of E. coli O157:H7 per ml (933, ATCC 43889, and ATCC 43895), and exposed to 14 mJ of UV irradiation per cm(2). Bacterial populations for treated and untreated samples were then enumerated by using nonselective media. E. coli O157:H7 ATCC 43889 showed the most sensitivity to this disinfection process with an average 6.63-log reduction compared to an average log reduction of 5.93 for both strains 933 and ATCC 43895. The highest log reduction seen, 7.19, occurred for strain ATCC 43889 in Rome cider. The same cider produced the lowest log reductions: 5.33 and 5.25 for strains 933 and ATCC 43895, respectively. Among the apple cultivars, an average log reduction range of 5.78 (Red Delicious) to 6.74 (Empire) was observed, with two statistically significant (alpha < or = 0.05) log reduction groups represented. Within the paired cultivar-strain analysis, five of eight ciders showed statistically significant (alpha < or = 0.05) differences in at least two of the E. coli strains used. Comparison of log reductions among the E. coli strains to the cider parameters of (o)Brix, pH, and malic acid content failed to show any statistically significant relationship (R(2) > or = 0.95). However, the results of this study indicate that regardless of the apple cultivar used, a minimum 5-log reduction is achieved for all of the strains of E. coli O157:H7 tested.     

Combinations of Intervention Treatments Resulting in 5-Log10-Unit Reductions in Numbers of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella typhimurium DT104 Organisms in Apple Cider

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently mandated a warning statement on packaged fruit juices not treated to reduce target pathogen populations by 5 log₁₀ units. This study describes combinations of intervention treatments that reduced concentrations of mixtures of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (strains ATCC 43895, C7927, and USDA-FSIS-380-94) or Salmonella typhimurium DT104 (DT104b, U302, and DT104) by 5 log₁₀ units in apple cider with a pH of 3.3, 3.7, and 4.1. Treatments used were short-term storage at 4, 25, or 35°C and/or freeze-thawing (48 h at −20°C; 4 h at 4°C) of cider with or without added organic acids (0.1% lactic acid, sorbic acid [SA], or propionic acid). Treatments more severe than those for S. typhimurium DT104 were always required to destroy E. coli O157:H7. In pH 3.3 apple cider, a 5-log₁₀-unit reduction in E. coli O157:H7 cell numbers was achieved by freeze-thawing or 6-h 35°C treatments. In pH 3.7 cider the 5-log₁₀-unit reduction followed freeze-thawing combined with either 6 h at 4°C, 2 h at 25°C, or 1 h at 35°C or 6 h at 35°C alone. A 5-log₁₀-unit reduction occurred in pH 4.1 cider after the following treatments: 6 h at 35°C plus freeze-thawing, SA plus 12 h at 25°C plus freeze-thawing, SA plus 6 h at 35°C, and SA plus 4 h at 35°C plus freeze-thawing. Yeast and mold counts did not increase significantly (P < 0.05) during the 6-h storage at 35°C. Cider with no added organic acids treated with either 6 h at 35°C, freeze-thawing or their combination was always preferred by consumers over pasteurized cider (P < 0.05). The simple, inexpensive intervention treatments described in the present work could produce safe apple cider without pasteurization and would not require the FDA-mandated warning statement.     

Heat Adaptation Alters Escherichia coli O157:H7 Membrane Lipid Composition and Verotoxin Production

The influence of heat adaptation (growth at 42 and 45°C) on changes in membrane lipid composition and verotoxin concentration of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (ATCC 43895), an rpoS mutant of ATCC 43895 (FRIK 816-3), a verotoxin mutant E. coli O157:H7 (B6-914), and nonpathogenic E. coli (ATCC 25922) was investigated. D values (57°C) of heat-adapted cells were up to 3.9 min longer than those of control cells for all four strains. Heat adaptation increased the amounts of palmitic acid (16:0) and cis-vaccenic acid (18:1ω7c) in membrane lipids of ATCC 43895 and the rpoS mutant, whereas there was a reduction and no change in the amount of cis-vaccenic acid in nonpathogenic and verotoxin mutant E. coli, respectively. The ratio of palmitic to cis-vaccenic acids decreased in ATCC 43895 and in the rpoS mutant, whereas the ratio increased in nonpathogenic E. coli and was not different in the verotoxin mutant with elevated growth temperature. Total verotoxin concentration decreased due to a reduction in intracellular verotoxin amount in heat-adapted ATCC 43895 and rpoS mutant strains. However, extracellular verotoxin concentration increased in heat-adapted cells. The rpoS gene did not influence membrane lipid composition changes although it did affect heat resistance. Results suggest that increased membrane fluidity may have caused increased verotoxin secretion.     

Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 ATCC 43895 in a model apple juice medium with different concentrations of proline and caffeic acid

The effects of proline and caffeic acid on the survival of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 strain ATCC 43895 in a model apple juice medium were studied. It is hypothesized that the inhibitory effect of caffeic acid may explain why almost all outbreaks of STEC O157:H7 infections linked to apple juice or cider have occurred in October or November.     

Growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in bruised apple (Malus domestica) tissue as influenced by cultivar, date of harvest, and source

Four of five apple cultivars (Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, McIntosh, Macoun, and Melrose) inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 promoted growth of the bacterium in bruised tissue independent of the date of harvest (i.e., degree of apple ripening) or the source of the apple (i.e., tree-picked or dropped fruit). Apple harvest for this study began 4 September 1998 and ended 9 October, with weekly sampling. Throughout this study, freshly picked (<2 days after harvest) McIntosh apples usually prevented the growth of E. coli O157:H7 for 2 days. Growth of E. coli O157:H7 did occur following 6 days of incubation in bruised McIntosh apple tissue. However, the maximum total cell number was approximately 80-fold less than the maximum total cell number recovered from Red Delicious apples. When fruit was stored for 1 month at 4 degrees C prior to inoculation with E. coli O157:H7, all five cultivars supported growth of the bacterium. For each apple cultivar, the pH of bruised tissue was significantly higher and degrees Brix was significantly lower than the pH and degrees Brix of undamaged tissue regardless of the source. In freshly picked apples, changes in the pH did not occur over the harvest season. Bruised Golden Delicious, McIntosh, and Melrose apple tissue pHs were not significantly different (tree-picked or dropped), and the degrees Brix values of McIntosh, Macoun, and Melrose apple tissue were not significantly different. Single-cultivar preparations of cider did not support growth of E. coli, and the cell concentration of inoculated cider declined over an 11-day test period. The rate of decline in E. coli cell concentration in the McIntosh cider was greater than those in the other ciders tested. The findings of this study suggested that the presence of some factor besides, or in addition to, pH inhibited E. coli growth in McIntosh apples.     

Nanocapsular Dispersion of Thymol for Enhanced Dispersibility and Increased Antimicrobial Effectiveness against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes in Model Food Systems

Essential oils are marginally soluble in water, making it challenging to evenly disperse them in foods and resulting in an increased tendency to bind with food lipids and proteins, resulting in lowered antimicrobial efficacy. In the current study, free and nano-dispersed (ND) thymol were compared in terms of their antimicrobial efficacies against Escherichia coli O157:H7 ATCC 43889 and 43894 and Listeria monocytogenes strains Scott A and 101 in apple cider and 2% reduced-fat milk. Apple cider was adjusted to pHs 5.5 and 3.5, and antimicrobial tests were performed at 0.3-, 0.5-, 0.75-, and 1.0-g/liter thymol concentrations at 35, 32, 25, and 4°C. Overall, 0.5 and 1.0 g/liter thymol in nano-dispersion and along with free thymol were inhibitory and bactericidal, respectively, against bacterial strains under all treatment conditions. At pH 5.5, 0.5 g/liter ND thymol was bacteriostatic against L. monocytogenes and E. coli for up to 48 h. At pH 3.5, L. monocytogenes controls did not survive beyond 12 h but E. coli survived and was inhibited by 0.5 g/liter ND thymol after 12 and 48 h in apple cider. E. coli strains were significantly sensitive to 4°C and pH 3.5 (P < 0.05). When bacteria were tested in 2% reduced-fat milk at 35 or 32°C, ND and free thymol demonstrated inhibition at 4.5 g/liter. Thus, the current technology seems to be promising and novel, enabling thymol-containing nano-dispersions that are not only transparent but also effective against pathogens in food applications, especially in clear beverages.     

Attachment of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to the Surfaces and Internal Structures of Apples as Detected by Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy

Confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) was used to demonstrate the attachment of Escherichia coli O157:H7 transformed with a plasmid encoding for green fluorescent protein (GFP) to the surface and within the internal structures of nonwaxed Red Delicious cv. apples. Apples at 2 or 25°C were inoculated with an E. coli O157:H7 cell suspension at 2 or 25°C. The effect of a negative temperature differential (cold inoculum, warm apple), a positive differential (warm inoculum, cold apple), and no differential (warm inoculum, warm apple), in combination with a pressure differential (atmospheric versus 10,130 Pa), on the attachment and infiltration of cells was determined. CSLM stereo images of external surfaces of apples subjected to all combinations of test parameters showed preferential cellular attachment to discontinuities in the waxy cuticle on the surface and to damaged tissue surrounding puncture wounds, where the pathogen was observed at depths up to 70 μm below the skin surface. Attachment to lenticels was sporadic but was occasionally observed at depths of up to 40 μm. Infiltration through the floral tube and attachment to seeds, cartilaginous pericarp, and internal trichomes were observed in all apples examined, regardless of temperature differential during inoculation. The pressure differential had no effect on infiltration or attachment of E. coli O157:H7. Image analysis to count cells at various depths within tissues was used to quantitatively compare the extent of infiltration into various apple structures as well as the effects of the temperature differential. Puncture wounds harbored greater numbers of the pathogen at greater depths than did other sites examined. Attachment or infiltration of cells was greater on the intact skin and in lenticels, russet areas, and the floral tube of apples inoculated under a negative temperature differential compared to those inoculated under no temperature differential. The results suggest that E. coli O157:H7 attached to internal core structures or within tissues of apples may evade decontamination treatments. Interventions designed to deliver disinfectants to these locations or to remove viable cells of E. coli O157:H7 and other pathogens from apples by other means need to be developed and validated.     

Acid tolerance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and its survival in apple juice

Outbreaks of diarrhoea and haemolytic uraemic syndrome have been associated with the consumption of apple cider and apple juice. The organism implicated in these outbreaks has been Escherichia coli O157:H7, indicating the resistance of the serotype to acidic pH. On comparing the growth of this serotype with a control strain of E. coli, it was found that strain O157:H7 grew well in trypticase soy broth at pH levels ranging from 2.0 to 9.0, while control strains failed to grow at pH levels below 4.0 and above 9.0. The growth of both strains were inhibited by adding 0.05% of either benzoic acid or sorbic acid. Similarly, O157:H7 grew well in both natural (unpasteurized) as well as in pasteurized apple juice and the growth was inhibited by adding 0.1% of either benzoic acid or sorbic acid. Control strains of E. coli failed to grow in either types of apple juice. The possible sources of contamination of natural apple juice with O157:H7 serotype are discussed.     

Differences in Attachment of Salmonella enterica Serovars and Escherichia coli O157:H7 to Alfalfa Sprouts

Numerous Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks have been associated with contaminated sprouts. We examined how S. enterica serovars, E. coli serotypes, and nonpathogenic bacteria isolated from alfalfa sprouts grow on and adhere to alfalfa sprouts. Growth on and adherence to sprouts were not significantly different among different serovars of S. enterica, but all S. enterica serovars grew on and adhered to alfalfa sprouts significantly better than E. coli O157:H7. E. coli O157:H7 was essentially rinsed from alfalfa sprouts with repeated washing steps, while 1 to 2 log CFU of S. enterica remained attached per sprout. S. enterica Newport adhered to 3-day-old sprouts as well as Pantoea agglomerans and 10-fold more than Pseudomonas putida and Rahnella aquatilis, whereas the growth rates of all four strains throughout seed sprouting were similar. S. enterica Newport and plant-associated bacteria adhered 10- to 1,000-fold more than E. coli O157:H7; however, three of four other E. coli serotypes, isolated from cabbage roots exposed to sewage water following a spill, adhered to sprouts better than E. coli O157:H7 and as well as the Pseudomonas and Rahnella strains. Therefore, attachment to alfalfa sprouts among E. coli serotypes is variable, and nonpathogenic strains of E. coli to be used as surrogates for the study of pathogenic E. coli may be difficult to identify and should be selected carefully, with knowledge of the biology being examined.     

Rectal Administration of Escherichia coli O157:H7: Novel Model for Colonization of Ruminants

Escherichia coli O157:H7 causes hemorrhagic colitis and life-threatening complications. Because healthy cattle are reservoirs for the bacterium, ruminant infection models have applications in analyzing the relationship between cattle and this human pathogen and in testing interventions to reduce or prevent bovine colonization with this bacterium. Current approaches often do not reliably mimic natural, long-term bovine colonization with E. coli O157:H7 in older calves and adult animals (ages that enter our food chain). Based on the recent identification of the bovine rectoanal junction mucosa as a site of E. coli O157:H7 colonization, we developed a novel rectal swab administration colonization model. We compared this method with oral dosing and direct contact transmission (Trojan) methods. E. coli O157:H7 carriage status was determined by fecal or rectoanal mucosa swab culture. High (~10¹⁰ CFU) and low (~10⁷ CFU) oral doses of E. coli O157:H7 in sheep and cattle resulted in variable infection with the bacterium. Some animals became colonized with the bacteria and remained culture positive for several weeks, and some animals did not become colonized and rapidly cleared the bacteria in a few days. Pen mates of E. coli O157:H7 culture-positive Trojan cattle had a low infection rate and variable colonization status. However, rectal swab administration of E. coli O157:H7 to cattle resulted in consistent long-term colonization in all animals. The surprising ease with which long-term infections resulted from a single application of bacteria to the rectoanal mucosa also strongly supported this location as a site of E. coli O157:H7 colonization in cattle.     

Fate of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in apple cider with and without preservatives.

A strain of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7 isolated from a patient in an apple cider-related outbreak was used to study the fate of E. coli O157:H7 in six different lots of unpasteurized apple cider. In addition, the efficacy of two preservatives, 0.1% sodium benzoate and 0.1% potassium sorbate, used separately and in combination was evaluated for antimicrobial effects on the bacterium. Studies were done at 8 or 25 degrees C with ciders having pH values of 3.6 to 4.0. The results revealed that E. coli O157:H7 populations increased slightly (ca. 1 log10 CFU/ml) and then remained stable for approximately 12 days in lots inoculated with an initial population of 10(5) E. coli O157:H7 organisms per ml and held at 8 degrees C. The bacterium survived from 10 to 31 days or 2 to 3 days at 8 or 25 degrees C, respectively, depending on the lot. Potassium sorbate had minimal effect on E. coli O157:H7 populations, with survivors detected for 15 to 20 days or 1 to 3 days at 8 or 25 degrees C, respectively. In contrast, survivors in cider containing sodium benzoate were detected for only 2 to 10 days or less than 1 to 2 days at 8 or 25 degrees C, respectively. The highest rates of inactivation occurred in the presence of a combination of 0.1% sodium benzoate and 0.1% potassium sorbate. The use of 0.1% sodium benzoate, an approved preservative used by some cider processors, will substantially increase the safety of apple cider in terms of E. coli O157:H7, in addition to suppressing the growth of yeasts and molds.     

Effects of Acid Adaptation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on Efficacy of Acetic Acid Spray Washes To Decontaminate Beef Carcass Tissue

Exposure to low pH and organic acids in the bovine gastrointestinal tract may result in the induced acid resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and other pathogens that may subsequently contaminate beef carcasses. The effect of acid adaptation of E. coli O157:H7 on the ability of acetic acid spray washing to reduce populations of this organism on beef carcass tissue was examined. Stationary-phase acid resistance and the ability to induce acid tolerance were determined for a collection of E. coli O157:H7 strains by testing the survival of acid-adapted and unadapted cells in HCl-acidified tryptic soy broth (pH 2.5). Three E. coli O157:H7 strains that were categorized as acid resistant (ATCC 43895) or acid sensitive (ATCC 43890) or that demonstrated inducible acid tolerance (ATCC 43889) were used in spray wash studies. Prerigor beef carcass surface tissue was inoculated with bovine feces containing either acid-adapted or unadapted E. coli O157:H7. The beef tissue was subjected to spray washing treatments with water or 2% acetic acid or left untreated. For strains ATCC 43895 and 43889, larger populations of acid-adapted cells than of unadapted cells remained on beef tissue following 2% acetic acid treatments and these differences remained throughout 14 days of 4°C storage. For both strains, numbers of acid-adapted cells remaining on tissue following 2% acetic acid treatments were similar to numbers of both acid-adapted and unadapted cells remaining on tissue following water treatments. For strain ATCC 43890, there was no difference between populations of acid-adapted and unadapted cells remaining on beef tissue immediately following 2% acetic acid treatments. These data indicate that adaptation to acidic conditions by E. coli O157:H7 can negatively influence the effectiveness of 2% acetic acid spray washing in reducing the numbers of this organism on carcasses.     

Persistence of enterohaemorrhagic and nonpathogenic E. coli on spinach leaves and in rhizosphere soil*

Aims: Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and nonpathogenic E. coli on spinach leaves and in organic soil while growing spinach in a growth chamber was investigated. Methods and Results: Spinach plants were maintained in the growth chamber at 20°C (14 h) and 18°C (10 h) settings at 60% relative humidity. Five separate inocula, each containing one strain of E. coli O157:H7 and one nonpathogenic E. coli isolate were applied to individual 4‐week‐old spinach plants (cultivar ‘Whale’) grown in sandy soil. Leaf and soil inocula consisted of 100 μl, in 5 μl droplets, on the upper side of leaves resulting in 6·5 log CFU plant^?1 and 1 ml in soil, resulting in 6·5 log CFU 200 g^?1 soil per plant. Four replicates of each plant shoot and soil sample per inoculum were analysed on day 1 and every 7 days for 28 days for E. coli O157:H7 and nonpathogenic E. coli (by MPN) and for heterotrophic plate counts (HPC). Escherichia coli O157:H7 was not detected on plant shoots after 7 days but did survive in soil for up to 28 days. Nonpathogenic E. coli survived up to 14 days on shoots and was detected at low concentrations for up to 28 days. In contrast, there were no significant differences in HPC from days 0 to 28 on plants, except one treatment on day 7. Conclusions: Escherichia coli O157:H7 persisted in soil for at least 28 days. Escherichia coli O157:H7 on spinach leaves survived for less than 14 days when co‐inoculated with nonpathogenic E. coli. There was no correlation between HPC and E. coli O157:H7 or nonpathogenic E. coli. Significance and Impact of the Study: The persistence of nonpathogenic E. coli isolates makes them possible candidates as surrogates for E. coli O157:H7 on spinach leaves in field trials.