Abstract
Biofilm-forming bacteria, which colonize the surfaces of equipment in the dairy industry, may adversely affect the safety and quality of the milk and its products. Despite numerous efforts to combat biofilm formation, there is still no effective technological means to thoroughly solve the biofilm problem in the dairy industry. Here, we introduced peptide-based coating in order to modify the physical properties of the stainless steel surface by affecting its availability for bacterial adhesion. We found that the coated surface displays a notable decrease in the ability of bacterial cells to attach and to subsequently form biofilm by Gram-positive Bacillus licheniformis and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Furthermore, the coated surface retained its anti-biofilm ability following its exposure to raw milk. Importantly, the modified surface did not affect the milk coagulation process or its nutritious properties and quality. Overall, this anti-biofilm approach may serve as an attractive solution for the dairy industry in its struggle against bacterial contamination.
Highlights
Biofilm-forming bacteria are known to be a major source of both spoilage and pathogenic microflora in the dairy industry (Elmoslemany et al, 2009)
Stainless steel is commonly used for fabricating transport pipes and containers in the food processing industry (Gkana et al, 2017)
The results show that the biofilm formation was inhibited notably, following bacterial incubation on peptide-coated surfaces compared to uncoated surfaces, regardless of the pre-incubation in milk (Figures 5A,B)
Summary
Biofilm-forming bacteria are known to be a major source of both spoilage and pathogenic microflora in the dairy industry (Elmoslemany et al, 2009). Bacteria that form biofilms may adversely affect the safety and quality of milk and its products (Moretro and Langsrud, 2017). The main source of contamination of dairy products is often associated with the formation of biofilms on the surfaces of milk transport pipes, milking containers, and accessories in the dairy industries (Srey et al, 2013). The bacteria may detach from biofilms and contaminate the milk as it passes surfaces (Austin and Bergeron, 1995). Biofilm bacteria can increase the corrosion of metal pipes, reduce heat transfer, and increase fluid frictional resistance (Kumar and Anand, 1998; Gupta and Anand, 2018)
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