Abstract
Safe and hygienic water distribution is essential for maintaining product quality and safety. It is known that biofilms alter the appearance and microbial quality of water along the distribution chain. Yet, biofilms in water hoses throughout the food processing environment have not been investigated in detail. Here, microbial communities from water hoses and other environmental sites in contact with water, in addition to the source water itself, were studied in the meat processing environment. Biofilms were present in all water hoses as determined by the presence of bacterial DNA and biofilm matrix components (carbohydrates, extracellular DNA, and proteins). The microbial community of the biofilms was dominated by Proteobacteria, represented mainly by Comamonadaceae and Pseudoxanthomonas. Moreover, genera that are associated with an intracellular lifestyle (e.g., Neochlamydia and Legionella) were present. Overall, the microbial community of biofilms was less diverse than the water microbial community, while those from the different sample sites were distinct from each other. Indeed, only a few phyla were shared between the water hose biofilm and the source water or associated environmental samples. This study provides first insights towards understanding the microbiota of water hose biofilms in the food processing environment.
Highlights
Ensuring water safety is an indispensable aspect of public health
The bacterial load of all water hose biofilms was above 6.6 log bacterial cell equivalents (BCE)/cm2 (Figure 2A, minimum H3 6.6 ± .1 log BCE/cm2), as determined by quantitative PCR
The highest bacterial cell equivalent count has been detected in the biofilm of water hose H1 (7.3 ± .1 log BCE/cm2)
Summary
Ensuring water safety is an indispensable aspect of public health. In 2020, two billion people lacked safely managed water; the access to drinking water is included in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG6). They are responsible for the deterioration of drinking water quality, in terms of microbial safety and appearance, and the corrosion of pipes. They decrease water carrying capacity and thereby lead to increased energy needs (Kumar and Anand, 1998; Wingender and Flemming, 2011; Kip and Van Veen, 2015; Husband et al, 2016). As water system biofilms develop in environments with low nutrient sources and high stresses, such as shear forces, disinfecting agents, and temperature variations, they are of interest in studying bacterial adaption and resilience
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