Pathogenic Biofilm Formation in the Food Industry and Alternative Control Strategies (Cap. 11)

Abstract

The ability of foodborne bacterial pathogens, such as Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, pathogenic Escherichia coli, Campylobacter spp., Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus, to attach to various surfaces and create biofilms on them is a worrying challenge for the food industry, since this may result in food contamination and disease transmission. Moreover, the sanitation of surfaces hosting biofilms in such environments is a difficult task, mainly due to the great antimicrobial recalcitrance of biofilm cells. To overcome this problem and control unwanted biofilm formation, in recent years, several alternative methods, such as the use of enzymes, bacteriophages, and quorum quenching agents, have been successfully evaluated. The purpose of this chapter is to review the current knowledge related to pathogenic biofilm formation in the main food industries (meat, dairy, fresh produce, and seafood) and also to provide up-to-date data on some potential alternative or supplementary antibiofilm strategies.