Aims: To develop an antimicrobial bottle coating effective at inhibiting the growth of Salmonella in liquid egg albumen (egg white) and reduce the risk of human Salmonellosis.
Methods and results: Four-ounce glass jars were coated with a mixture of polylactic acid (PLA) polymer and antimicrobial compounds containing 100-500 μl allyl isothiocyanate (AIT), 250 mg nisin, 250 mg zinc oxide nanoparticles per jar or their combinations. The coated jars contained 100 ml of liquid egg white (LEW) inoculated with a three-strain Salmonella enterica ssp. enterica cocktail at populations of 10(3) or 10(7) CFU ml(-1) and stored at 10°C for 28 days. The PLA coating with 500 μl AIT completely inactivated 3 and 7 log CFU ml(-1) of Salmonella after 7 and 21 days of storage, respectively. The PLA coating with 200 μl AIT in combination with 250 mg nisin reduced Salmonella populations to an undetectable level (<10 CFU ml(-1) ) after 21 days of storage.
Conclusions: PLA coatings containing AIT alone or in combination with nisin effectively inactivated salmonellae in LEW.
Significance and impact of the study: This study demonstrated the commercial potential of applying the antimicrobial bottle coating method to liquid eggs and possibly other fluid food products.
Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology. No claim to US Government works.