Abstract Bacterial biofilm formation in foodservice facilities is a continuous cross-contamination risk through survival and persistence despite disinfectant treatments. In this study, we evaluated biofilm formation and disinfectant susceptibility of… Click to show full abstract
Abstract Bacterial biofilm formation in foodservice facilities is a continuous cross-contamination risk through survival and persistence despite disinfectant treatments. In this study, we evaluated biofilm formation and disinfectant susceptibility of 178 strains obtained from a cafeteria kitchen and 70 foodborne pathogens and analyzed results by multivariate data analyses. A total of 23 areas in a cafeteria kitchen were selected for bacterial isolation and identification. The capacity for biofilm formation was tested using a crystal violet assay, and disinfectant susceptibility was examined using an agar well diffusion assay and resazurin reduction assay. The most frequently isolated genera were Bacillus (33%), Acinetobacter (17%), Kocuria (12%) and Staphylococcus (5%). The genus Bacillus showed the strongest capacity of the biofilm formation. The foodborne bacteria exhibited a wide range of susceptibility to disinfectants, such as sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, benzalkonium chloride, lactic acid and citric acid. However, the susceptibilities changed after biofilm formation in a strain-dependent manner, and the relative resistance levels changed among the isolates. Overall, this study will be a great resource for selecting and using disinfectants in foodservice facility hygienic practices.
               
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