The implementation of environmentally friendly, anti-biofilm treatments for Listeria monocytogenes in food production establishments should begin from an in-depth knowledge of individual environments and cannot disregard possible resistance patterns that the pathogen could develop, according to a recent study.
Alongside traditional decontamination methods, in recent years, environmentally friendly sanitation techniques including electrolyzed water, plasma-activated water, ozone, and enzymes, have been proposed as anti-biofilm strategies with considerable antimicrobial potential. However, some data has shown significant variability in the response of L. monocytogenes biofilms to these approaches, perhaps due to different environmental conditions and parameters, as well as genetic determinants or resistance mechanisms of different strains. The study involved a review of available recent literature on the effect that various eco-friendly inactivation techniques have on L. monocytogenes biofilms.