Research examines Listeria control through anti-listerial fruit coatings and by elimination of biofilms

A team of Clemson University researchers is approaching?Listeria?risk reduction in stone fruit packinghouses from two angles. The first funded project, "Preservation of stone fruits by spray application of edible coatings with antimicrobial properties," examines coatings that could reduce?Listeria monocytogenes?populations on fruit without affecting storability, appearance, or taste. ? The second and more recent funded project, "Preventive sanitation measures for the elimination of Listeria monocytogenes biofilms in critical postharvest sites,"?looks at difficult-to-sanitize micro-environments within a packinghouse where bacteria may reside that could serve as reservoirs. In addition to identifying problem areas, the researchers plan to test commonly used sanitizers to determine optimal concentrations and contact times to inactivate biofilms.? ? Both projects are being led by?Kay Cooksey, Ph.D.?(picture) and?Cryovac?Endowed Chair,?with co-principal investigator Claudia Ionita, Ph.D. and post-doctoral researcher.?The two researchers, both with Clemson University's?Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences Department,?say the arrangement yields "good synergy" because each brings different expertise to the table. Cooksey has a packaging science and food technology background, whereas Ionita is a microbiologist.More informationCenter for Produce Safety, November 2018 newsletter