Vaz, Vinícius S.A., de A.F.F. Finger, Jéssica, Pereira, Raul F., Derami, Mariana S., Maillard, Jean-Yves  ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8617-9288 and Nascimento, Maristela S.
2026.
Dry surface biofilm of Salmonella and Cronobacter sakazakii: a real concern for the low moisture food industry.
Food Microbiology
136
, 105013.
10.1016/j.fm.2025.105013
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Abstract
Salmonella and Cronobacter sakazakii have been associated with outbreaks linked to low-moisture foods (LMF), and their persistence under desiccation stress can contribute to biofilm formation. This study evaluated different dry surface biofilm (DSB) formation protocols on stainless steel (SS) and polypropylene (PP), which differ with the combination of their hydrated (from 24 to 48h) and dry phase (from 48 to 120h). By the end of the protocols (C2), culturable sessile cells (CSC) reached counts up to 7.2 and 7.4 log CFU/cm2 for Salmonella and C. sakazakii, respectively. In general, T5 (8/48 h) resulted in the lowest CSC counts (p < 0.05), ranging from 3.7 to 5.5 log CFU/cm2 for Salmonella and 4.5 to 6.3 log CFU/cm2 for C. sakazakii. In addition, by the end of C2 there was no significant difference (p < 0.05) between the surface materials. After catalase resuscitation, the culturability of the DSB increased between 1.1 log CFU/cm2 and 2.8 log CFU/cm2 for Salmonella, and 0.6 and 2.2 log CFU/cm2 for C. sakazakii, indicating cells in the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed the DSB thickness was impacted by the protocol type, being greatest in T1 and T4 (10.4–12.7 μm) and lowest in T3 (3.3–7.1 μm). Morphological changes such as elongation, spherical shape, desiccation, and cell lysis were observed in all biofilms. Overall, the duration of the hydrated phase was the main factor influencing DSB formation and the transition to VBNC state for both pathogens. It highlights the importance of strict moisture control and effective sanitation in LMF plants.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Date Type: | Publication |
| Status: | Published |
| Schools: | Schools > Pharmacy |
| Additional Information: | RRS policy applied |
| Publisher: | Elsevier |
| ISSN: | 0740-0020 |
| Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 12 January 2026 |
| Date of Acceptance: | 10 December 2025 |
| Last Modified: | 12 Jan 2026 12:15 |
| URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/183642 |
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