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Title: BIOCONTROL OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES ON FRESH-CUT HONEYDEW MELONS USING A BACTERIAL ANTAGONIST AND BACTERIOPHAGE

Author
item HONG, YOON-PYO - NHRI,RDA, SUWON, KOREA
item Leverentz, Britta
item Conway, William
item Janisiewicz, Wojciech
item ABADIAS, MARIBEL - IRTA,LLEIDA,CATALONIA,SP
item Camp, Mary

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/23/2006
Publication Date: 6/26/2006
Citation: Hong, Y., Leverentz, B., Conway, W.S., Janisiewicz, W.J., Abadias, M., Camp, M.J. 2006. Biocontrol of listeria monocytogenes on fresh-cut honeydew melons using a bacterial antagonist and bacteriophage. Phytopathology. 96:S51.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Honeydew melon pieces were treated with either Gluconobacter asaii (a bacterial antagonist naturally occurring on apple fruit) or a bacteriophage cocktail or a combination of the two, then contaminated with an outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes. While phage and G. asaii alone were effective antagonists of L. monocytogenes, the combination was even more effective. G. asaii alone reduced populations approximately 3-4 logs and phage alone reduced populations by one log compared to the l. monocytogenes control over 7 days. The combination reduced L. monocytogenes populations by one log by day 2 and up to 6 logs by day 7. The phage treatment had an immediate inhibitory effect while G. asaii controlled the pathogen over time. These results show the beneficial effects of combining the two treatments.