Identification of microbes from the surfaces of food-processing lines based on the flow cytometric evaluation of cellular metabolic activity combined with cell sorting

• Published in: Biofouling (Chur, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2016-09, Vol.32 (8), p.841-851
• Main Authors: Juzwa, W., Duber, A., Myszka, K., Białas, W., Czaczyk, K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adhesins, Bacterial - analysis; Bacteria; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Bacterial Load; Cell Count; cell sorting; Colony Count, Microbial; Contamination; Discrimination; Flow cytometry; Flow Cytometry - methods; Food Handling - standards; food-processing surfaces; Microbial Viability; Microorganism identification; Microorganisms; Physiology; Sorting; Stainless Steel - analysis; Surface chemistry
• ISSN: 0892-7014; 1029-2454
• DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2016.1201657

In this study the design of a flow cytometry-based procedure to facilitate the detection of adherent bacteria from food-processing surfaces was evaluated. The measurement of the cellular redox potential (CRP) of microbial cells was combined with cell sorting for the identification of microorganisms. The procedure enhanced live/dead cell discrimination owing to the measurement of the cell physiology. The microbial contamination of the surface of a stainless steel conveyor used to process button mushrooms was evaluated in three independent experiments. The flow cytometry procedure provided a step towards monitoring of contamination and enabled the assessment of microbial food safety hazards by the discrimination of active, mid-active and non-active bacterial sub-populations based on determination of their cellular vitality and subsequently single cell sorting to isolate microbial strains from discriminated sub-populations. There was a significant correlation (r = 0.97; p