Antimicrobial Activity of Ohelo Berry ( Vaccinium calycinum ) Juice against Listeria monocytogenes and Its Potential for Milk Preservation

• Published in: Microorganisms (Basel) 2022-03, Vol.10 (3), p.548
• Main Authors: Wu, Biyu, Liu, Xiaohan, Nakamoto, Stuart T, Wall, Marisa, Li, Yong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Antiinfectives and antibacterials; Antimicrobial activity; Antimicrobial agents; antimicrobial effect; Bacteria; Berries; biofilm formation; Biofilms; Calibration; Culture media; Disinfectants; FlaA protein; Food; Food contamination; Foodborne pathogens; Fruits; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; Gene expression; Hydrophobicity; Juices; Listeria; Listeria monocytogenes; Microorganisms; Milk; Milk products; Minimum inhibitory concentration; ohelo berry; Physicochemical properties; Phytochemicals; polyphenols; Preservatives; Product safety; Skim milk; Swarming; Swimming; Vaccinium calycinum
• ISSN: 2076-2607; 2076-2607
• DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030548

is a foodborne pathogen and causes illnesses with a high mortality rate in susceptible populations. Several dairy-related outbreaks have been attributed to contamination by , which requires antimicrobial interventions to enhance the safety of these products. This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial activity of the ohelo berry ( ), a Hawaiian wild relative of cranberry, against in culture media and milk products. The effect of ohelo berry juice at its sub-inhibitory concentrations on the physicochemical properties, biofilm formation, and gene expression of was also investigated. The minimum inhibitory concentration of ohelo berry juice against was 12.5%. The sub-inhibitory concentration of ohelo berry juice (6.25%) significantly increased the auto-aggregation and decreased the hydrophobicity, swimming motility, swarming motility, and biofilm formation capability of . The relative expression of genes for motility ( ), biofilm formation and disinfectant resistance ( ), invasion ( ), listeriolysin ( ), and phospholipase ( ) was significantly downregulated in treated by the 6.25% juice. was significantly inhibited in whole and skim milk supplemented with 50% ohelo berry juice, regardless of the fat content. These findings highlight the potential of ohelo berry as a natural preservative and functional food to prevent s infection.