Scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA’s ARS) have provided new insight into the ability of Salmonella to survive and adapt in food processing facilities through interactions with environmental biofilms. Unlike previous research that focuses primarily on single-species biofilms, the ARS project explores the more complex and realistic scenario where foodborne pathogens coexist with a multitude of environmental microorganisms in intricate, mixed biofilms.
The study reinforces that Salmonella’s ability to interact in diverse biofilms improves its stress tolerance, lending to the pathogen’s ability to colonize food contact surfaces, outcompete resident microorganisms, and resist sanitizers. The research represents the first step in explaining the science of real-world interactions between foodborne pathogens and biofilms, providing insights that can help inform enhanced food safety practices.