RESUMO
The objective of this study was to evaluate the combined effect of citral plus mild heat on nondesiccated and desiccated Cronobacter sakazakii in reconstituted infant formula. Various concentrations of citral (0, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9%) combined with various temperatures (25, 45, 50, and 55°C) were applied to nondesiccated and desiccated cocktails of three C. sakazakii strains (approximately 6.0 log CFU mL-1) in reconstituted infant formula, and the bacterial populations were assayed periodically. The combined treatments had marked antimicrobial effects on C. sakazakii compared with the control. Desiccated cells were more susceptible to citral than were nondesiccated cells in reconstituted infant formula. These findings suggest there is a potential application of citral in combination with mild heat to control C. sakazakii during preparation of reconstituted infant formula.
Assuntos
Cronobacter sakazakii/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Contaminação de Alimentos/análise , Fórmulas Infantis/microbiologia , Monoterpenos Acíclicos , Contaminação de Alimentos/prevenção & controle , Microbiologia de Alimentos , Temperatura Alta , Humanos , Lactente , MonoterpenosRESUMO
Cronobacter sakazakii is a foodborne pathogen associated with fatal forms of necrotizing enterocolitis, meningitis and sepsis in neonates and infants. The aim of this study was to determine whether citral, a major component of lemongrass oil, could suppress putative virulence factors of C. sakazakii that contribute to infection. Sub-inhibitory concentrations of citral significantly decreased motility, quorum sensing, biofilm formation and endotoxin production. Citral substantially reduced the adhesion and invasion of C. sakazakii to Caco-2 cells and decreased bacterial survival and replication within the RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Citral also repressed the expression of eighteen genes involved in the virulence. These findings suggest that citral has potential to be developed as an alternative or supplemental agent to mitigate the infections caused by C. sakazakii.