Temperature Effect on Listeria Monocytogenes Planktonic Growth and Biofilm-Forming Ability

Listeria Monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen with the capacity to grow at low temperatures and the ability to form biofilms. These features are particularly significant to food business operators producing readyto-eat foods with a long refrigerated shelf-life not undergoing any listericidal treatment before consumption. Objectives: This work aims to assess the temperature effect on L. monocytogenes growth in planktonic suspension and in mono-species biofilms. Methods and results: Isothermal planktonic growth at 12o C and 37o C was assayed using viable cell counts and optical density measurements that revealed a strong positive correlation, confirming the reliability of combining both methods to estimate L. monocytogenes concentration. Experimental data were then fitted to Baranyi and Roberts primary predictive model and the estimated growth parameters confirmed that μmax at 37o C (0.375 ± 0.072 log Cfu/ ml/h) was higher than at 120 C (0.054 ± 0.001 log Cfu/ml/h), with identical L. monocytogenes final concentrations which emphasizes its ability to grow at refrigerated temperatures. Experimental results from the isothermal growth assay and ComBase Predictor growth model were similar, with slightly higher estimated μmax (37o C: 0.480 log Cfu/ml/h; 12o C: 0.068 log Cfu/ml/h) in the predictor growth model. The studied strains demonstrated biofilm-forming ability at 12o C, 20o C and 300 C after 5 days of growth. No significant differences in biofilm formation at different temperatures were detected considering viable cell counts values, but when using crystal violet staining optical density results significant differences were found, with the highest formation occurring at 30ºC. A positive strong correlation was found between viable cell counts and crystal violet staining optical density results. In fact, both methods complement each other, because while viable cell counts measures viable cells, crystal violet staining optical density considers total biomass (viable and non-viable cells and extracellular matrix components). Nevertheless, in this work all L. monocytogenes strains revealed to be weak biofilm producers. Conclusion: Overall, this studys results contribute with important initial information on L. monocytogenes growth and biofilm formation to further assist predictive growth modeling in food matrices and environments, also enabling subsequent quantitative microbial risk assessment, to improve pathogen’s control.