Journal of Food: Microbiology, Safety & Hygiene
Open Access

Abstract

Biofilm Formation of Foodborne Pathogens and their Control in Food Processing Facilities

Tong Zhao

Microorganism can form biofilm to adapt various hard-to-live conditions for long-term survival. Foodborne pathogens can seed in the biofilm to escape the regular sanitation practice, especially in floor drains. Food processing facilities generally use chlorine-based, QACs-based, or phenolic-based sanitizers in their sanitation practice. The advantage of these sanitizers is cheap and effective and the disadvantage is its efficacy can be reduced by a lot of factors and easy to produce resistance. New novel bactericide as an alternative is needed when efficacy of these traditional sanitizers is substantially reduced. For control of Listeria monocytogenes in floor drain contamination, especially for ready-to-eat processing plant the procedure of biocontrol is needed because floor drain is too deep to reach. The product of biocontrol contains beneficial bacteria and these beneficial bacteria can live in the biofilm at harsh environment and these beneficial bacteria consistently produces various bacteriocins to kill L. monocytogenes and ensures floor drain without the contamination of L. monocytogenes for long-term.