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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 2006, p. 5846-5856, Vol. 72, No. 9
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.00654-06
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Attachment of and Biofilm Formation by Enterobacter sakazakii on Stainless Steel and Enteral Feeding Tubes

Hoikyung Kim,1 Jee-Hoon Ryu,2* and Larry R. Beuchat1*

Center for Food Safety and Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia, 1109 Experiment St., Griffin, Georgia,1 Graduate School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Anam-dong, Sungbuk-ku, Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea2

Received 21 March 2006/ Accepted 26 June 2006

Enterobacter sakazakii has been reported to form biofilms, but environmental conditions affecting attachment to and biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces have not been described. We did a study to determine the effects of temperature and nutrient availability on attachment and biofilm formation by E. sakazakii on stainless steel and enteral feeding tubes. Five strains grown to stationary phase in tryptic soy broth (TSB), infant formula broth (IFB), or lettuce juice broth (LJB) at 12 and 25°C were examined for the extent to which they attach to these materials. Higher populations attached at 25°C than at 12°C. Stainless steel coupons and enteral feeding tubes were immersed for 24 h at 4°C in phosphate-buffered saline suspensions (7 log CFU/ml) to facilitate the attachment of 5.33 to 5.51 and 5.03 to 5.12 log CFU/cm2, respectively, before they were immersed in TSB, IFB, or LJB, followed by incubation at 12 or 25°C for up to 10 days. Biofilms were not produced at 12°C. The number of cells of test strains increased by 1.42 to 1.67 log CFU/cm2 and 1.16 to 1.31 log CFU/cm2 in biofilms formed on stainless steel and feeding tubes, respectively, immersed in IFB at 25°C; biofilms were not formed on TSB and LJB at 25°C, indicating that nutrient availability plays a major role in processes leading to biofilm formation on the surfaces of these inert materials. These observations emphasize the importance of temperature control in reconstituted infant formula preparation and storage areas in preventing attachment and biofilm formation by E. sakazakii.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address for L. R. Beuchat: Center for Food Safety, University of Georgia, 1109 Experiment St., Griffin, GA 30223-1797. Phone: (770) 412-4740. Fax: (770) 229-3216. E-mail: lbeuchat{at}uga.edu. Mailing address for J.-H. Ryu: Graduate School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Anam-dong, Sungbuk-ku, Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea. Phone: 82 2 3290 3409. E-mail: escheri{at}korea.ac.kr.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 2006, p. 5846-5856, Vol. 72, No. 9
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.00654-06
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Solseng, T., Vinson, H., Gibbs, P., Greenwald, B. (2008). In Vitro Formation of Biofilms on Lopez Enteral Feeding Valves: Implications for Critical Care Patients and Nurses. Crit Care Nurse 28: 37-41 [Full Text]  
  • Kim, H., Ryu, J.-H., Beuchat, L. R. (2007). Effectiveness of Disinfectants in Killing Enterobacter sakazakii in Suspension, Dried on the Surface of Stainless Steel, and in a Biofilm. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 1256-1265 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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