ARS | Publication request: BIOCONTROL OF FOODBORNE PATHOGENS ON FRESH-CUT APPLES USING NATURALLY OCCURRING BACTERIAL AND YEAST ANTAGONISTS

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: June 6, 2005
Publication Date: June 20, 2005
Citation: Leverentz, B., Conway, W.S., Janisiewicz, W.J., Kurtzman, C.P., Abadias, M.L., Camp, M.J. 2005. Biocontrol of foodborne pathogens on fresh-cut apples using naturally occurring bacterial and yeast antagonists [abstract]. Phytopathology 95. (Sppl.):59.

Technical Abstract: Fresh-cut apples contaminated with either L. monocytogenes or S. Poona, both foodborne pathogen strains from outbreaks on produce, were treated with one of seventeen antagonists originally selected for their ability to inhibit fungal postharvest decay on fruit. While most of the antagonists increased the growth of the foodborne pathogens, four of them, including three yeasts and one bacterium, proved effective in preventing the growth or survival of foodborne human pathogens on fresh-cut apple tissue. The contaminated apple tissue plugs were stored up to seven days. The four antagonists survived or grew on the apple tissue at 10 or 25°C. These four antagonists reduced the L. monocytogenes populations by up to 6 log units and except for one of the yeasts, also reduced S. Poona populations up to 4.8 log units.