Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in Skim Milk and Liquid Egg White by Antimicrobial Bottle Coating with Polylactic Acid and Nisin

Abstract

This study was to develop an antimicrobial bottle coating method to reduce the risk of outbreaks of human listeriosis caused by contaminated liquid foods. Liquid egg white and skim milk were inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes Scott A and stored in glass jars that were coated with a mixture of polylactic acid (PLA) polymer and nisin. The efficacy of PLA per nisin coating in inactivating L. monocytogenes was investigated at 10 and 4 degrees C. The pathogen grew well in skim milk without PLA/nisin coating treatments, reaching 8 log CFU/mL after 10 d and then remained constant up to 42 d at 10 degrees C. The growth of Listeria at 4 degrees C was slower than that at 10 degrees C, taking 21 d to obtain 8 log CFU/mL. At both storage temperatures, the PLA coating with 250 mg nisin completely inactivated the cells of L. monocytogenes after 3 d and throughout the 42-d storage period. In liquid egg white, Listeria cells in control and PLA coating without nisin samples declined 1 log CFU/mL during the first 6 d at 10 degrees C and during 28 d at 4 degrees C, and then increased to 8 or 5.5 log CFU/mL. The treatment of PLA coating with 250 mg nisin rapidly reduced the cell numbers of Listeria in liquid egg white to undetectable levels after 1 d, then remained undetectable throughout the 48 d storage period at 10 degrees C and the 70 d storage period at 4 degrees C. These data suggested that the PLA/nisin coating treatments effectively inactivated the cells of L. monocytogenes in liquid egg white and skim milk samples at both 10 and 4 degrees C. This study demonstrated the commercial potential of applying the antimicrobial bottle coating method to milk, liquid eggs, and possibly other fluid products.