Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in cut melon fruit using analysis of volatile organic compounds

Spadafora, Natasha D., Paramithiotis, Spiros, Drosinos, Eleftherios H., Cammarisano, Laura, Rogers, Hilary J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3830-5857 and Muller, Carsten Theodor ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0455-7132 2016. Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in cut melon fruit using analysis of volatile organic compounds. Food Microbiology 54 , pp. 52-59. 10.1016/j.fm.2015.10.017

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Abstract

Ready-to-eat fresh cut fruits and vegetables are increasingly popular, however due to their minimal processing there is a risk of contamination with human pathogens. Listeria monocytogenes is of particular concern as it can multiply even at the low temperatures used to store fresh cut products pre-sale. Current detection methods rely on culturing, which is time consuming and does not provide results in the time frame required. Growth of bacteria on a substrate alters its chemical composition affecting the profile of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted. Use of VOCs as a detection method has been hampered by lack of sensitivity and robust sample collection methods. Here we use thermal desorption gas chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry (TD-GC-TOF-MS) followed by analysis with PerMANOVA to analyse VOC profiles. We can discriminate between fresh cut melon cubes inoculated with 6 log CFU/g of L. monocytogenes and uninoculated controls, as well as melon cubes inoculated with <1 log CFU/g of L. monocytogenes stored for 7 days at 4 °C and following equilibration for 6 h at 37 °C. This is a substantial advance in sensitivity compared to previous studies and additionally the collection method used allows remote sampling and transport of the VOCs, greatly facilitating analyses.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Biosciences
Subjects:	Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology
Additional Information:	Available online 27 October 2015 Pdf uploaded in accordance with publisher's policy at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/0740-0020/ (accessed 30/11/2015)
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	0740-0020
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Date of Acceptance:	25 October 2015
Last Modified:	31 Oct 2022 12:38
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/81355

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