Microbiome analyses of poultry feeds: Part I. Comparison of five different DNA extraction methods.

Given extensive variability in feed composition, the absence of a dedicated DNA extraction kit for poultry feed underscores the need for an optimized extraction technique for reliable downstream sequencing analyses. This study investigates the impact of five DNA extraction techniques: Qiagen QIAamp DNA Stool Mini Kit (Qiagen), modified Qiagen with Lysing Matrix B (MQ), modified Qiagen with celite purification (MQC), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and 1-Day Direct. Genomic DNA amplification and Illumina MiSeq sequencing were conducted. QIIME2-2021.4 facilitated data analysis, revealing significant diversity and compositional differences influenced by extraction methods. Qiagen exhibited lower evenness and richness compared to other methods. 1-Day Direct and PEG enhanced bacterial diversities by employing bead beating and lysozyme. Despite similar taxonomic resolution, the Qiagen kit provides a rapid, consistent method for assessing poultry feed microbiomes. Modified techniques (MQ and MQC) improve DNA purification, reducing bias in commercial poultry feed samples. PEG and 1-Day Direct methods were effective but may require standardization. Overall, this study underscores the importance of optimized extraction techniques in poultry feed analysis, with potential implications for future standardization of effective methods.

Microbiome analyses of poultry feeds: Part II. Comparison of different poultry feeds.

Within the realm of poultry feed mill operations, the persistent concern over microbial feed quality necessitates the establishment of a robust baseline for enhancing and sustaining the standards of commercial feeds. This dual-phase investigation, comprising Parts I, was previously published, and the current study presented here as Part II aimed to illuminate this baseline using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In Part II, nine distinct commercial poultry feeds formulated as starters, growers, starter/growers, or supplements, the selected feeds underwent genomic DNA extraction, amplification with custom dual-indexed primers, and subsequent Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Through data analysis in QIIME2-2021.4 and R Studio, the study unveils alpha (Kruskal-Wallis) and beta (ANOSIM) diversity, taxonomic differences (ANCOM), and core microbiomes (core_members), deeming main and pairwise effects statistically significant at p < 0.05 and Q < 0.05. Notably, the investigation identified 30% common core microbial members across the nine feed types, shedding light on potential foodborne poultry pathogens such as Helicobacter and Campylobacter. Probiotic-associated feeds exhibited distinct microbial communities, emphasizing the need to explore their impact on the early poultry gastrointestinal tract (GIT) further.

Survival of Campylobacter jejuni during in vitro culture with mixed bovine ruminal microorganisms in the presence of methanogen inhibitors.

Foodborne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni has been associated with ruminants. The objectives of this experiment were to determine C. jejuni survivability in mixed in vitro rumen microbial populations and the impact on methane production with or without methane inhibitors 2-bromosulfonate (BES) and/or sodium nitrate. When inoculated into rumen microbial populations without or with 0.5 mM BES, 5.0 mM nitrate or their combination, C. jejuni viability decreased from 4.7 ± 0.1 log10 colony forming units (CFU)/mL after 24 h. Loss of C. jejuni viability was greater (P < 0.05) when incubated under 100% CO2 compared to 50% H2:50% CO2, decreasing 1.46 versus 1.15 log units, respectively. C. jejuni viability was also decreased (P < 0.05) by more than 0.43 log units by the anti-methanogen treatments. Rumen microbial populations produced less methane (P = 0.05) when incubated with than without C. jejuni regardless of whether under 100% CO2 or 50% H2:50% CO2. For either gas phase, nitrate was decreased (13.2 versus 37.9%) by the anti-methanogen treatments versus controls although not always significant. C. jejuni-inoculated populations metabolized 16.4% more (P < 0.05) nitrate under H2:CO2 versus 100% CO2. Apparently, C. jejuni can compete for H2 with methanogens but has limited survivability under rumen conditions.

Incidence of Salmonella serovars isolated from commercial animal feed mills in the United States and serovar identification using CRISPR analysis.

AIMS: In this study, we sought to determine the incidence and diversity of Salmonella in a broad collection of commercial animal feeds collected from animal feed mills across the United States over an 11-month period and utilize CRISPR analysis to identify individual serovars. METHODS AND RESULTS: Over two independent trials, 387 feed samples from 135 different animal feed mills in the United States were screened for Salmonella. A total of 6·2% (24/387) of samples were contaminated with Salmonella, which is concordant with similar studies. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-typing was used to serotype Salmonella isolates, and serovars Infantis and Tennessee were the most common. CONCLUSIONS: Serogroups O:4 and O:7 were enriched in the feed samples, suggesting that these serogroups are better adapted to surviving in low moisture animal feeds. The study supports the utility of CRISPR to determine serovar type since most of the serovars identified in this study have been also isolated and identified in earlier studies using more classical serotyping methods. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This work contributes to a growing body of literature concerning the Salmonella prevalence in animal feeds and highlights the need to effectively mitigate pathogens in livestock and poultry feed.

In silico genome analysis of an acid mine drainage species, Acidiphilium multivorum, for potential commercial acetic acid production and biomining.

The genome of Acidiphilium multivorum strain AIU 301, acidophilic, aerobic Gram-negative bacteria, was investigated for potential metabolic pathways associated with organic acid production and metal uptake. The genome was compared to other acidic mine drainage isolates, Acidiphilium cryptum JF-5 and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270, as well as Acetobacter pasteurianus 386B, which ferments cocoa beans. Plasmids between two Acidiphilium spp. were compared, and only two of the sixteen plasmids were identified as potentially similar. Comparisons of the genome size to the number of protein coding sequences indicated that A. multivorum and A. cryptum follow the line of best fit unlike A. pasteurianus 386B, which suggests that it was improperly annotated in the database. Pathways between these four species were analyzed bioinformatically and are discussed here. A. multivorum AIU 301, shares pathways with A. pasteurianus 386B including aldehyde and alcohol dehydrogenase pathways, which are used in the generation of vinegar. Mercury reductase, arsenate reductase and sulfur utilization proteins were identified and discussed at length. The absence of sulfur utilization proteins from A. multivorum AIU 301 suggests that this species uses previously undefined pathways for sulfur acquisition. Bioinformatic examination revealed novel pathways that may benefit commercial fields including acetic acid production and biomining.

Molecular-based identification and detection of Salmonella in food production systems: current perspectives.

Salmonella remains a prominent cause of foodborne illnesses and can originate from a wide range of food products. Given the continued presence of pathogenic Salmonella in food production systems, there is a consistent need to improve identification and detection methods that can identify this pathogen at all stages in food systems. Methods for subtyping have evolved over the years, and the introduction of whole genome sequencing and advancements in PCR technologies have greatly improved the resolution for differentiating strains within a particular serovar. This, in turn, has led to the continued improvement in Salmonella detection technologies for utilization in food production systems. In this review, the focus will be on recent advancements in these technologies, as well as potential issues associated with the application of these tools in food production. In addition, the recent and emerging research developments on Salmonella detection and identification methodologies and their potential application in food production systems will be discussed.

Quantification of nitrogen in the liquid fraction and in vitro assessment of lysine bioavailability in the solid fraction of soybean meal hydrolysates.

Soybean meal (SBM) is a product generated from the manufacture of soybean oil and has the potential for use as a source of fermentable sugars for ethanol production or as a protein source for animal feeds. Knowing the levels of nitrogen available from ammonium is a necessary element of the ethanolic fermentation process while identifying the levels of essential amino acids such as lysine is important in determining usage as a feed source. As such the purpose of this study was to quantify total nitrogen and ammonium in the liquid fraction of hydrolyzed SBM and to evaluate total and bioavailable lysine in the solid fraction of the hydrolyzed SBM. The effects of acid concentration, cellulase and ß-glucosidase on total and ammonium nitrogen were studied with analysis indicating that higher acid concentrations increased nitrogen compounds with ammonium concentrations ranging from 0.20 to 1.24 g L-1 while enzymatic treatments did not significantly increase nitrogen levels. Total and bioavailable lysine was quantified by use of an auxotrophic gfpmut3 E.coli whole-cell bioassay organism incapable of lysine biosynthesis. Acid and enzymatic treatments were applied with lysine bioavailability increasing from a base of 82% for untreated SBM to up to 97%. Our results demonstrated that SBM has the potential to serve in ethanolic fermentation and as an optimal source essential amino acid lysine.

Rapid and simple method by combining FTA™ card DNA extraction with two set multiplex PCR for simultaneous detection of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains and virulence genes in food samples.

The aim of this research was to optimize two multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays that could simultaneously detect six non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) as well as the three virulence genes. We also investigated the potential of combining the FTA™ card-based DNA extraction with the multiplex PCR assays. Two multiplex PCR assays were optimized using six primer pairs for each non-O157 STEC serogroup and three primer pairs for virulence genes respectively. Each STEC strain specific primer pair only amplified 155, 238, 321, 438, 587 and 750 bp product for O26, O45, O103, O111, O121 and O145 respectively. Three virulence genes were successfully multiplexed: 375 bp for eae, 655 bp for stx1 and 477 bp for stx2. When two multiplex PCR assays were validated with ground beef samples, distinctive bands were also successfully produced. Since the two multiplex PCR examined here can be conducted under the same PCR conditions, the six non-O157 STEC and their virulence genes could be concurrently detected with one run on the thermocycler. In addition, all bands clearly appeared to be amplified by FTA card DNA extraction in the multiplex PCR assay from the ground beef sample, suggesting that an FTA card could be a viable sampling approach for rapid and simple DNA extraction to reduce time and labour and therefore may have practical use for the food industry. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Two multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were optimized for discrimination of six non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and identification of their major virulence genes within a single reaction, simultaneously. This study also determined the successful ability of the FTA™ card as an alternative to commercial DNA extraction method for conducting multiplex STEC PCR assays. The FTA™ card combined with multiplex PCR holds promise for the food industry by offering a simple and rapid DNA sample method for reducing time, cost and labour for detection of STEC in food and environmental samples.

Development of multiplex PCR assay for simultaneous detection of Salmonella genus, Salmonella subspecies I, Salm. Enteritidis, Salm. Heidelberg and Salm. Typhimurium.

AIMS: The aim of this research was to develop multiplex PCR assay that could simultaneously detect Salmonella genus, Salmonella subsp. I, Salm. Enteritidis, Heidelberg and Typhimurium because these Salmonella serovars are the most common isolates associated with poultry products. METHODS AND RESULTS: Five primers were utilized to establish multiplex PCR and applied to Salmonella isolates from chickens and farm environments. These isolates were identified as Salmonella subsp. I and 16 of 66 isolates were classified as Salm. Enteritidis, while Heidelberg or Typhimurium was not detected. We also spiked three Salmonella strains on chicken breast meat to evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of multiplex PCR as well as qPCR to optimize quantification of Salmonella in these samples. The optimized multiplex PCR and qPCR could detect approx. 2·2 CFU of Salmonella per gram after 18 h enrichment. CONCLUSIONS: The multiplex PCR and qPCR would provide rapid and consistent results. Also, these techniques would be useful for the detection and quantification of Salmonella in contaminated poultry, foods and environmental samples. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The strategy for the rapid detection of Salmonella serovars in poultry is needed to further reduce the incidence of salmonellosis in humans. The optimized multiplex PCR will be useful to detect prevalent Salmonella serovars in poultry products.

Potential of fructooligosaccharide prebiotics in alternative and nonconventional poultry production systems.

Fructooligosaccharide and inulin prebiotics are carbohydrate-based polymers derived from natural sources that can be utilized by certain gastrointestinal tract bacteria but not by the host animal. They are attractive as feed additives for nonconventional poultry production systems because they select for beneficial microorganisms that are thought to promote nutritional benefits to the bird and potentially limit foodborne pathogen establishment. There have been numerous studies conducted with prebiotic supplements to assess their impact in humans, animals, and conventionally raised poultry but only limited research has been conducted with birds grown under nonconventional production conditions. Much remains unknown about the specific mechanism(s) associated with their impact on the host as well as the gastrointestinal tract microflora. Utilization of several recently developed approaches such as microbiome and metabolomic analyses should offer more insight on how dietary prebiotic additives influence the development of the gastrointestinal tract microbiota and these subsequent changes correspond with alterations in a bird's physiology as it matures. As more detailed and precise studies are done with nonconventional poultry, it is likely that structurally distinct prebiotics will influence not only the gastrointestinal tract microbiota differently, but potentially interact directly and/or indirectly with the bird host in distinguishable patterns as well. These functions will be important to delineate if further applications are to be developed for specific prebiotics in nonconventional poultry production systems.

Effect of ethanol and methanol on growth of ruminal bacteria Selenomonas ruminantium and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens.

The effect of ethanol and methanol on growth of several ruminal bacterial strains was examined. Ethanol concentrations as low as 0.2% had a significant, but moderate, inhibitory effect on lag time or growth over time and 3.3% ethanol significantly inhibited maximum optical density obtained by both Selenomonas ruminantium and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens. Little growth of either strain occurred at 10% ethanol concentrations. Methanol concentrations below 0.5% had little effect on either growth or maximum optical density of Selenomonas ruminantium whereas methanol concentrations below 3.3% had little effect on growth or maximum optical density of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens. Higher methanol concentrations increasingly inhibited growth of both strains and no growth occurred at a 10% methanol concentration. Concentrations of ethanol or methanol used to add hydrophobic compounds to culture media should be kept below 1%.

Listeria monocytogenes batch culture growth response to metabolic inhibitors.

In certain environments nutrient and energy sources available to microorganisms can be limited. Foodborne pathogens must efficiently adapt in order to be successfully transmitted through the food chain to their hosts. For the intracellular foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, little is known regarding its response to nutrient/energy-limiting conditions. The alternative stress responsive sigma factor σ(B) has been reported to contribute to survival under specific stresses. Therefore, the effects of several metabolic inhibitors on growth of L. monocytogenes wild-type and a ΔsigB mutant were examined. In the absence of inhibitors, both strains reached stationary phase after 18 h at 23°C and 10 h at 37°C. All of the metabolic inhibitors slowed growth of either strain, with few differences observed among the different inhibitors.

Campylobacter jejuni and casein hydrolysate addition: Impact on poultry in vitro cecal microbiota and metabolome.

This study investigates the impact of casein hydrolysates on the poultry ceca inoculated with Campylobacter focusing on microbial molecular preferences for different protein sources in the presence of Campylobacter jejuni. Three casein sources (intact casein (IN), casein enzyme hydrolysate (EH), and casein acid hydrolysate (AH)) were introduced to cecal contents in combination with inoculated C. jejuni in an in vitro model system incubated for 48 h at 42°C under microaerophilic conditions. Samples were collected at 0, 24, and 48 h. Genomic DNA was extracted and amplified using custom dual-indexed primers, followed by sequencing on an Illumina MiSeq platform. The obtained sequencing data were then analyzed via QIIME2-2021.11. Metabolite extracts were analyzed with ultra-high-performance liquid orbitrap chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). Statistical analysis of metabolites was conducted using MetaboAnalyst 5.0, while functional analysis was performed using Mummichog 2.0 with a significance threshold set at P < 0.00001. DNA sequencing and metabolomic analyses revealed that C. jejuni was most abundant in the EH group. Microbial diversity and richness improved in casein supplemented groups, with core microbial differences observed, compared to non-supplemented groups. Vitamin B-associated metabolites significantly increased in the supplemented groups, displaying distinct patterns in vitamin B6 and B9 metabolism between EH and AH groups (P < 0.05). Faecalibacterium and Phascolarctobacterium were associated with AH and EH groups, respectively. These findings suggest microbial interactions in the presence of C. jejuni and casein supplementation are influenced by microbial community preferences for casein hydrolysates impacting B vitamin production and shaping competitive dynamics within the cecal microbial community. These findings underscore the potential of nutritional interventions to modulate the poultry GIT microbiota for improved health outcomes.

Analysis of microbial diversity on deli slicers using polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis technologies.

Cross-contamination of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria from food-contact surfaces to food products is a serious public health issue. Bacteria may survive and attach to food-contact surfaces by residual food components and/or background bacteria which may subsequently transfer to other food products. Deli slicers, generally used for slicing ready-to-eat products, can serve as potential sources for considerable bacterial transfer. The objective of this study was to assess the extent and distribution of microbial diversity of deli slicers by identification of pathogenic and background bacteria. Slicer-swab samples were collected from restaurants in Arkansas and Texas in the United States. Ten surface areas for each slicer were swabbed using sterile sponges. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was applied to investigate the fingerprint of samples, and each band was further identified by sequence analysis. Pseudomonads were identified as the dominant bacteria followed by Enterobacteriaceae family, and lactic acid bacteria such as Lactococcus lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus were also found. Bacterial distribution was similar for all surface areas, while the blade guard exhibited the greatest diversity. This study provides a profile of the microbial ecology of slicers using DGGE to develop more specific sanitation practices and to reduce cross-contamination during slicing.

A review on development of novel strategies for controlling Salmonella Enteritidis colonization in laying hens: fiber-based molt diets.

Limiting Salmonella Enteritidis from table eggs can involve intervention approaches at several levels of the production cycle, beginning at the hatchery and ending at the processing or table egg production facilities. Likewise, interventions that limit Salmonella Enteritidis dissemination can be implemented at various stages during the life cycle of infection of Salmonella in the laying hen. However, achieving complete elimination of Salmonella infestation in egg products has remained elusive. There is a multitude of reasons for this, including adaptability of the organism, virulence properties, and persistence. Likewise, environmental factors in the layer house such as transmission routes, reservoirs, and feed sources can influence the exposure of susceptible laying hens to Salmonella Enteritidis. Consequently, successful applications of control measures depend not only on the timing of when they are applied but also on effective surveillance to detect frequency and level of infection of Salmonella. Several studies demonstrated that molt induction by feed withdrawal altered the immune system and the gastrointestinal tract of hens, making them susceptible to Salmonella Enteritidis colonization of the gastrointestinal tract. To alleviate this, the development of alternative methods to induce a molt became necessary. The use of several fiber-containing diets was shown to effectively induce a molt with alfalfa-based diets being the most extensively studied. Further reduction of Salmonella Enteritidis levels in eggs will probably require application of multiple interventions at several steps during egg production and processing as well as a better understanding of the mechanisms used by Salmonella Enteritidis to persist in laying flocks.

Evaluation of whole-genome sequencing as a genotyping tool for Campylobacter jejuni in comparison with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and flaA typing.

Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of foodborne illness, with poultry and poultry products being leading sources of infection. Epidemiological efforts to trace Campylobacter can be challenging because of the extreme genetic diversity of this bacterium relative to other foodborne pathogens. To enhance tracking and epidemiological efforts, whole-genome sequencing has been used for other foodborne pathogens but not yet been evaluated for practicality with Campylobacter. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate whole-genome sequencing as a genotyping method for C. jejuni by comparing it with 2 commonly used genotyping methods, namely pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and flaA typing. Whole-genome sequence data were generated using the Roche-454 sequencing platform to map Campylobacter strains (VOL_3, VOL_5, VOL_8, VOL_11, and VOL_20) isolated from conventional and organic poultry. Five additional isolates with published genomes were also compared. The PFGE profiles were created using Sma I digestion. For the flaA short variable region sequencing, standard PCR methods were used and high-quality Sanger reads were generated. The PFGE profiles of strains VOL_3 and VOL_11 were found to be indistinguishable, and strain VOL_20 was found indistinguishable from NCTC 11168. Whole-genome comparisons between strains VOL_20 and 11168 were in agreement with the obtained PFGE profiles, as these 2 isolates had very similar genome sizes, a number of shared genes (1,580), and very similar % G-C content (30.6). Of the 8 strains, 2 strains (VOL_3 and VOL_11) had identical flaA types. Whole-genome sequencing was the most discriminatory of the typing methods. However, the cost and time effort needed to sequence and assemble the genomes may hinder efforts, and therefore, we conclude that more bioinformatics tools need to be developed for whole-genome sequencing to be used as an epidemiological tool.

Modifying the gastrointestinal ecology in alternatively raised poultry and the potential for molecular and metabolomic assessment.

Consumer demand for nonconventional poultry products continues to increase in the United States. In pasture flock and organic poultry production, probiotics and prebiotic feed additives have potential advantages because they are thought to promote intestinal health and may offer a replacement for current intervention strategies that are not considered acceptable for these production systems. Prebiotics have been demonstrated to produce effects on the gastrointestinal tract including modulation of microflora by promoting selective increases in beneficial bacteria concomitant with decreases in undesirable bacteria. In-depth assessment of microbial community changes during host growth and development as well as the establishment of beneficial microbial species by adding biologicals such as probiotics and prebiotics is important to achieve predictable and consistent improvements in chicken health and productivity. To analyze microflora shifts and metabolites produced by bacteria in the gut as well as host responses to biological additives, sophisticated molecular techniques are now available and are becoming more widely used. Polymerase chain reaction assays, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, and temperature gradient gel electrophoresis offer approaches for detecting microbial shifts in the gut. Likewise, the employment of microarrays and molecular analysis of gut tissues can reveal insight into gut physiological and responses to dietary and other changes. Recent application of 16S rDNA sequencing and analysis utilizing basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) and FASTA databases on poultry gut samples have the potential to provide a much more in-depth assessment of the gut microbiome. Utilizing ultra pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy profiling, metabolomic assessment of gut contents will also allow for parallel comparisons of changes in the gut contents with microbiome and physiological responses. Combining all these technologies will provide a plenary understanding of poultry gut health in alternative production systems.

Research Note: Preliminary assessment of the impact of dietary yeast products on egg production and cecal microbial profiles of laying hens.

The objective of the current study was to conduct an initial comparison of commercial yeast products in layer hen diets on egg production parameters and the corresponding impact on the cecal microbiota. A short-term feeding study was conducted with 35 laying hens receiving either a control, or 1 of 4 different yeast fermentation products, Immunowall, Hilyses (both from ICC, São Paulo, Brazil), Citristim (ADM, Decatur, IL), and Maxi-Gen Plus (CBS Bio Platforms, Calgary, Canada) with 7 hens per treatment from 40 to 46 wk of age. At the end of the trial, hens were euthanized, the ceca removed and prepared for denatured gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) microbial compositional analyses. Although initial shell weight and shell thickness were similar among the treatment groups, hens fed Hilyses had lower shell weight and thickness at the end of the experiment. The most predominant DGGE bands with the strongest intensity were identified as Lactobacillus species and excised double bands were identified as Bacillus, Clostridium, or Lachnospiraceae. In this short-term feeding trial, the commercial yeast products tested had little effect on egg production and shell quality, and only moderately impacted the composition of mature layer hen cecal microbiota.

Antimicrobial effect and mode of action of terpeneless cold-pressed Valencia orange essential oil on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

AIMS: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the antistaphylococcal effect and elucidate the mechanism of action of orange essential oil against antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains. METHODS AND RESULTS: The inhibitory effect of commercial orange essential oil (EO) against six Staph. aureus strains was tested using disc diffusion and agar dilution methods. The mechanism of EO action on MRSA was analysed by transcriptional profiling. Morphological changes of EO-treated Staph. aureus were examined using transmission electron microscopy. Results showed that 0·1% of terpeneless cold-pressed Valencia orange oil (CPV) induced the cell wall stress stimulon consistent with the inhibition of cell wall synthesis. Transmission electron microscopic observation revealed cell lysis and suggested a cell wall lysis-related mechanism of CPV. CONCLUSIONS: CPV inhibits the growth of Staph. aureus, causes gene expression changes consistent with the inhibition of cell wall synthesis, and triggers cell lysis. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Multiple antibiotics resistance is becoming a serious problem in the management of Staph. aureus infections. In this study, the altered expression of cell wall-associated genes and subsequent cell lysis in MRSA caused by CPV suggest that it may be a potential antimicrobial agent to control antibiotic-resistant Staph. aureus.

Cleaning and decontamination efficacy of wiping cloths and silver dihydrogen citrate on food contact surfaces.

AIMS: To test the efficacy of four wipe cloth types (cotton bar towel, nonwoven, microfibre and blended cellulose/cotton) with either quaternary ammonia cleaning solution or silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC) in cleaning food contact surfaces. METHODS: Swab samples collected from untreated, cloth-treated and cloth disinfectant-treated surfaces were subjected to hygiene monitoring using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence and aerobic total plate counting (TPC) assays. RESULTS: Adenosine triphosphate measurements taken after wiping the surfaces showed poor cleaning by nonwoven cloths (2·89 RLU 100 cm(-2) ) than the microfibre (2·30 RLU 100 cm(-2) ), cotton terry bar (2·26 RLU 100 cm(-2) ) and blended cellulose/cotton cloth types (2·20 RLU 100 cm(-2) ). The cellulose/cotton cloth showed highest log reduction in ATP-B RLU values (95%) and CFU values (98·03%) when used in combination with SDC disinfectant. CONCLUSIONS: Cleaning effect of wiping cloths on food contact surfaces can be enhanced by dipping them in SDC disinfectant. ATP-B measurements can be used for real-time hygiene monitoring in public sector, and testing microbial contamination provides more reliable measure of cleanliness. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Contaminated food contact surfaces need regular hygiene monitoring. This study could help to estimate and establish contamination thresholds for surfaces at public sector facilities and to base the effectiveness of cleaning methods.