Microbial diversity and ecology of biofilms in food industry environments associated with Listeria monocytogenes persistence

Abstract

Contamination of food products with the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes may occur in the food processing environment. Many bacterial species co-exist in this environment and can interact in multispecies biofilms. Recent studies have shed light on the composition of microbial communities present in the same ecological habitat as L. monocytogenes. Others have aimed at identifying competitive or cooperative interactions between L. monocytogenes and other species in mixed-species biofilms. Both microbial composition and interactions may be differently influenced even by different strains belonging to the same species. Novel methodology based on recent advances in sequencing technologies promise to provide new insights into how the resident microbiota may influence the presence of L. monocytogenes in food industry environments.