Ecology of multispecies biofilm formed in refrigerated raw milk in the presence of nisin and the quorum quenching furanone

Abstract

SummaryCharacterisation of bacterial communities in multispecies biofilm can aid the search for prevention and control strategies. This study evaluated the influence of nisin and quorum quenching compound furanone on the diversity of biofilm formed from raw milk. Stainless steel coupons were immersed in raw milk containing either nisin or furanone. Biofilm DNA was extracted, followed by metataxonomic analyses. Chao‐1 richness, Simpson, and Shannon diversity indexes fluctuated over the 10‐day period in the control biofilm. However, both nisin and furanone led to a decrease in the Chao‐1 index of the biofilm microbiota and small fluctuation in the Simpson and Shannon diversity indexes without altering the number of sessile cells. Gammaproteobacteria, recognised contaminants of significance in milk, was the dominant class in all biofilms. Addition of nisin or furanone to the raw milk altered the microbial community of the biofilm, resulting particularly in the abundance of the genera Acinetobacter, Lactococcus, and Serratia.