Effect of Temperature, Surface, and Medium Qualities on the Biofilm Formation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> and Their Influencing Effects on the Antibacterial, Biofilm-Inhibitory, and Biofilm-Degrading Activities of Essential Oils

<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is a foodborne pathogen with a high tolerance to a wide range of environmental conditions, making its control in the food chain a particular challenge. Essential oils have recently been considered as potential antilisterial agents. In this study, the antilis...

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Main Authors: Anita Seres-Steinbach, Péter Szabó, Krisztián Bányai, György Schneider
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Foods
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/12/2097
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author Anita Seres-Steinbach
Péter Szabó
Krisztián Bányai
György Schneider
author_facet Anita Seres-Steinbach
Péter Szabó
Krisztián Bányai
György Schneider
author_sort Anita Seres-Steinbach
collection DOAJ
description <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is a foodborne pathogen with a high tolerance to a wide range of environmental conditions, making its control in the food chain a particular challenge. Essential oils have recently been considered as potential antilisterial agents. In this study, the antilisterial effects of 57 EOs were tested on 13 different <i>L. monocytogenes</i>. Thirty-seven EOs were found to be effective in a strain and temperature-dependent manner. At 37 °C, all EOs were effective against at least one strain of <i>L. monocytogenes</i>. However, at 14 °C and 23 °C, 12 EOs, such as Minth, Nutmeg, Neroli, Pepperminth, etc., became drastically ineffective. The efficacy of the EOs increased at the lowest temperature, as only four EOs, such as Dill seed, Juniper, lemon eucalyptus, and sandalwood, were found to be ineffective at 4 °C. Ajowan and thyme were the only EOs that were antibacterial against each strain at all temperatures tested (4, 14, 23, 37 °C). Biofilm-inhibition tests with 57 EOs, performed on polystyrene plates with different surface qualities and stainless steel, using 0.1% and 0.5% final concentrations, showed the outstanding inhibitory abilities of ajowan, geranium, Lime oil, melissa, palmarosa, rose geranium, sandalwood, and thyme. Fennel, lemon eucalyptus, and chamomile had the potential to inhibit biofilm formation without affecting live bacterial cell counts. Ajowan, geranium, thyme, and palmarosa reduced the biofilm to the optical density of 0.0–0.08, OD: 0.0–0.075, 0.0–0.072, and 0.0–0.04, respectively, compared to the bacterium control 0.085–0.45. The mature antibiofilm eradication ability of the EOs revealed the outstanding features of ajowan, geranium Lime, melissa, palmarosa, rose geranium, and thyme by suppressing the established biofilm to one tenth. The different sensitivities of the isolates and the temperature-dependent antilisterial effect of the tested EOs have to be taken into account if an EO-based food preservation technology is to be implemented, as several <i>L. monocytogenes</i> become resistant to different EOs at medium temperature ranges such as 14 °C and 23 °C.
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spelling doaj-art-0c9c367c53714bca8ca2a837d5def6812025-08-20T02:21:11ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-06-011412209710.3390/foods14122097Effect of Temperature, Surface, and Medium Qualities on the Biofilm Formation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> and Their Influencing Effects on the Antibacterial, Biofilm-Inhibitory, and Biofilm-Degrading Activities of Essential OilsAnita Seres-Steinbach0Péter Szabó1Krisztián Bányai2György Schneider3Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pécs, H-7624 Pécs, HungaryDepartment of Geology and Meteorology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Ifjúság str. 6, H-7624 Pécs, HungaryDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, H-1078 Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pécs, H-7624 Pécs, Hungary<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is a foodborne pathogen with a high tolerance to a wide range of environmental conditions, making its control in the food chain a particular challenge. Essential oils have recently been considered as potential antilisterial agents. In this study, the antilisterial effects of 57 EOs were tested on 13 different <i>L. monocytogenes</i>. Thirty-seven EOs were found to be effective in a strain and temperature-dependent manner. At 37 °C, all EOs were effective against at least one strain of <i>L. monocytogenes</i>. However, at 14 °C and 23 °C, 12 EOs, such as Minth, Nutmeg, Neroli, Pepperminth, etc., became drastically ineffective. The efficacy of the EOs increased at the lowest temperature, as only four EOs, such as Dill seed, Juniper, lemon eucalyptus, and sandalwood, were found to be ineffective at 4 °C. Ajowan and thyme were the only EOs that were antibacterial against each strain at all temperatures tested (4, 14, 23, 37 °C). Biofilm-inhibition tests with 57 EOs, performed on polystyrene plates with different surface qualities and stainless steel, using 0.1% and 0.5% final concentrations, showed the outstanding inhibitory abilities of ajowan, geranium, Lime oil, melissa, palmarosa, rose geranium, sandalwood, and thyme. Fennel, lemon eucalyptus, and chamomile had the potential to inhibit biofilm formation without affecting live bacterial cell counts. Ajowan, geranium, thyme, and palmarosa reduced the biofilm to the optical density of 0.0–0.08, OD: 0.0–0.075, 0.0–0.072, and 0.0–0.04, respectively, compared to the bacterium control 0.085–0.45. The mature antibiofilm eradication ability of the EOs revealed the outstanding features of ajowan, geranium Lime, melissa, palmarosa, rose geranium, and thyme by suppressing the established biofilm to one tenth. The different sensitivities of the isolates and the temperature-dependent antilisterial effect of the tested EOs have to be taken into account if an EO-based food preservation technology is to be implemented, as several <i>L. monocytogenes</i> become resistant to different EOs at medium temperature ranges such as 14 °C and 23 °C.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/12/2097<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>biofilm eradicationessential oilsinhibitoryantibacterial effecttemperature dependence
spellingShingle Anita Seres-Steinbach
Péter Szabó
Krisztián Bányai
György Schneider
Effect of Temperature, Surface, and Medium Qualities on the Biofilm Formation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> and Their Influencing Effects on the Antibacterial, Biofilm-Inhibitory, and Biofilm-Degrading Activities of Essential Oils
Foods
<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>
biofilm eradication
essential oils
inhibitory
antibacterial effect
temperature dependence
title Effect of Temperature, Surface, and Medium Qualities on the Biofilm Formation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> and Their Influencing Effects on the Antibacterial, Biofilm-Inhibitory, and Biofilm-Degrading Activities of Essential Oils
title_full Effect of Temperature, Surface, and Medium Qualities on the Biofilm Formation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> and Their Influencing Effects on the Antibacterial, Biofilm-Inhibitory, and Biofilm-Degrading Activities of Essential Oils
title_fullStr Effect of Temperature, Surface, and Medium Qualities on the Biofilm Formation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> and Their Influencing Effects on the Antibacterial, Biofilm-Inhibitory, and Biofilm-Degrading Activities of Essential Oils
title_full_unstemmed Effect of Temperature, Surface, and Medium Qualities on the Biofilm Formation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> and Their Influencing Effects on the Antibacterial, Biofilm-Inhibitory, and Biofilm-Degrading Activities of Essential Oils
title_short Effect of Temperature, Surface, and Medium Qualities on the Biofilm Formation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> and Their Influencing Effects on the Antibacterial, Biofilm-Inhibitory, and Biofilm-Degrading Activities of Essential Oils
title_sort effect of temperature surface and medium qualities on the biofilm formation of i listeria monocytogenes i and their influencing effects on the antibacterial biofilm inhibitory and biofilm degrading activities of essential oils
topic <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>
biofilm eradication
essential oils
inhibitory
antibacterial effect
temperature dependence
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/12/2097
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