Quiz 2 Content Flashcards
Which foods are microbiological contamination a universal concern?
- Meat, poultry, and fish are highly susceptible
- Foodborne pathogens: E. coli O157; Salmonella (non-typhoidal); Listeria monocytogenes
Describe Listeria monocytogenes.
- Rod shaped, Gram positive
- Facultative anaerobe - can survive without oxygen
- Grows from 0-45C with optimum temp between 30-37C
- Common in many environments
- Not completely inhibited by high salt concentrations or the presence of nitrite
Describe the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in processing plants.
Describe the persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in food processing plants.
Months to years!
Describe the bacterial stress response.
- Foodborne pathogens can sense changes in their surroundings and respond by altering gene expression
- A protective response may follow that increases tolerance to one or more stresses - aids in the survival in food products and in the food processing environment
- Alter the virulence properties of pathogens and can contribute to survival in vivo during infection
RpoS/SigS bacterial stress response occurs in […]
Rpos/SigS bacterial stress response occurs in Gram-negative bacteria.
RpoB/SigB bacterial stress response occurs in […]
RpoB/SigB bacterial stress response occurs in Gram-positive bacteria.
What type of stress response occurs in Gram-positive bacteria?
RpoB/SigB
What type of stress response occurs in Gram-negative bacteria?
RpoS/SigS
Give three examples of the bacterial stress response.
- E. coli O157 can survive at pH < 2.5 as it has acquired acid resistance
- Listeria monocytogenes can grow in cold environments
- Salmonella can survive in dry foods
Why do we need food antimicrobials? [3]
Because foodborne pathogens are (1) prevalent, (2) persistent, and (3) stress resistant.
Give three examples of the use of antimicrobials to reduce foodborne pathogens and spoilage organisms.
- Use of bacteriocins to reduce Campylobacter in poultry
- Use of nisin on processed cheese to prevent growth of Clostridial spores and toxin production
- Use of green tea extracts to control spoilage caused by yeasts and mould
What types of antimicrobials are used in foods?
- Natural (spices, oils)
- Artificial (organic acids)
- Traditional (organic acids, esters, salts)
- Emerging (bacteriocins, bacteriophages)
- Bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal agents
What is the difference between bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal agents?
Bacteriostatic: inhibit growth
Bacteriocidal: kill bacteria
Give examples of bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal agents.
Bacteriostatic: organic acids like lactate and diacetate
Bacteriocidal: antimicrobial peptides (e.g., nisin)
Note that sometimes antimicrobials may work against one another as well, which is why we need to study the effects of antimicrobials in combination.
How do the bacteriostatic agents work?
- Organic acids (lactate; diacetate)
- Reduce proton motive force, which is required to drive ATP synthesis, by decreasing intracellular pH
What are the most widely used compounds for control of L. monocytogenes in foods?
The organic acids (bacteriostatic agents): sodium lactate and sodium diacetate.
Note, these are widely used because they not only work well, but also because organic acids are affordable (e.g., cost effective for industry).
How do bactericidal agents work? [7]
By causing disruption to:
1. The cell wall,
2. cellular membrane,
3. protein synthesis,
4. nucleic acid synthesis,
5. DNA repair,
6. other metabolic pathways, or
7. producing toxins or free radicals.
What is nisin?
- A bacteriocidal agent (a Class I antimicrobial peptide)
- Naturally produced by Lactococcus lactis
How is nisin used in preventing food borne illness & food spoilage?
- Bacteriocidal agent
- Binds to lipid II in the cell membrane and forms pores that dissipate the proton motive force and make the bacterial cells leaky
- Effective against Gram-positive (e.g., Listeria monocytogenes), but not Gram-negative (e.g., E. coli, Salmonella), yeast or fungi
- Generally recognized as safe
Why isn’t nisin effective against Gram-negative bacteria?
- The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria effectively excludes nisin from making contact with the cell wall and interacting with the cytoplasmic membrane.
- However, in combination with chelating agents, such as EDTA, nisin can be effective against Gram-negative bacteria too
Foodborne pathogens cannot become resistant to nisin.
True or False?
False - they can become resistant.
Foodborne pathogens can become resistant to nisin.
True or False?
True.
What are the chemical properties of lauric arginate?
- Derived from lauric acid, L-arginine, and ethanol
- Active over a wide pH range (3 - 7) - so not effective in alkaline environments
This is a chemically synthesized product.
What is the antimicrobial spectrum of lauric arginate? [6]
- E. coli
- S. typhimurium
- S. aureus
- L. monocytogenes
- Lactobacillus
- Yeasts and moulds
Notice this range is much wider than for the antimicrobial nisin, which is not effective against Gram-negative bacteria, yeasts or moulds when used in isolation.
What are food applications of lauric arginate? [4]
- Cheeses
- Beverages
- Processed fruits & veggies
- Meats & fish
What is the proposed mechanism of action of lauric arginate?
Disruption/instability of cytoplasmic membrane and alter metabolic processes without causing cellular lysis.
Lauric arginate is considered bacteriocidal, and is GRAS.
What are the origins of natural antimicrobials?
- Animal: lysozyme (eggs); lactoferrin (milk); chitosan (shellfish)
- Microbial: nisin (Lactococcus lactis); natamycin (Streptomyces natalensis)
- Plants: essential oils; spices