A Systematic Review on Strategies for Biofilm Prevention and Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Food Processing Environments
A Systematic Review on Strategies for Biofilm Prevention and Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Food Processing Environments
Mansoureh Taghizadeh,1,*
1. Department of Food Science and Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Introduction: Listeria monocytogenes is among the most significant pathogens associated with foodborne diseases and is a major concern in the food industry due to its ability to form biofilms, which are resistant to conventional antimicrobial measures and facilitate cross-contamination and possible outbreaks. There is a growing need to explore new strategies for biofilm prevention and control, as current traditional measures are inefficient in eliminating these biofilms. This systematic review critically reviews the current state-of-the-art research on new approaches to combating L. monocytogenes biofilms, including new sanitizers, surface modifications, and enzymatic disruption of biofilm matrices.
Methods: Comprehensive electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, were searched in an attempt to retrieve studies on L. monocytogenes biofilm prevention and control. The search strategy employed the most pertinent keywords and MeSH terms related to "Listeria monocytogenes," "biofilms," "prevention," "control," "sanitizers," "surface modifications," and "enzymatic disruption." Studies published in English between 2010 and 2024 were included in the search. All eligible studies subjected the studies to a review to perform assessments of new strategies for preventing or controlling L. monocytogenes biofilms in food processing environments or equivalent laboratory models.
Results: The first search yielded 1,247 records. Duplicate records and irrelevant studies were eliminated. An additional 68 publications were included in the final review. These studies examined various strategies for biofilm prevention and control, including the following: Novel sanitizers: Plant-derived antimicrobials, bacteriocins, nanoparticles, and synergistic sanitizer combinations showed promising results in destroying L. monocytogenes biofilms. Surface modifications: Anti-fouling coatings, integration of antimicrobial agents into surface materials, and micro-patterned surfaces showed promise for biofilm prevention or aiding in removal. Enzymatic disruption: Proteases, glycosidases, DNases,.
This review, therefore, recommended conducting deep study on molecular mechanisms that regulate biofilm formation and persistence so that these regulatory pathways or their adhesion mechanisms may be targeted to inhibit biofilm formation or to destabilize biofilms that already exist.
Conclusion: This systematic review aims to bring out an overview of the state-of-the-art research work done in the development of strategies that can help in the prevention and control of L. monocytogenes biofilm in food processing. The promising approaches that have come forth so far do require further research to help decide whether these are effective, cost-effective, and workable in a real-world setup of food production. A partnership between academia, industry, and regulatory bodies will be pivotal to help translate this into practical solutions that work in the domain of food safety and minimizing the risk of L. monocytogenes contamination.