Insights into Cronobacter sakazakii Biofilm Formation and Control Strategies in the Food Industry

Cronobacter sakazakii(C.sakazakii)is a foodborne opportunistic pathogen that can cause life-threatening invasive diseases,such as necrotizing enterocolitis,meningitis,and sepsis in infants.The potential risk of C.sakazakii contamination of powdered infant formula(PIF)is an issue that has attracted considerable attention from manufacturers,regulators,and consumers.C.sakazakii biofilms on the surfaces of equipment and in diverse food-production environments constitute a mode of cell growth that protects the pathogen from hostile environments,and are an important source of persistent contamination of food products.Bacterial biofilms are difficult to remove due to their resistant properties.Conventional cleaning and sterilizing procedures may be insufficient for biofilm control,and may lead to further biofilm development and dispersal.Consequently,novel control strategies are being developed,such as nanotechnology-based delivery systems,interspecies interactions,antimicrobial molecules of microbial origin,natural extracts,and phages.This review focuses on describing the mechanisms underlying the biofilm formation and behavior of C.sakazakii and discussing potential control strategies.

Food Safety Risks and Contributing Factors of Cronobacter spp.

Cronobacter species are a group of Gram-negative opportunistic pathogens,which cause meningitis,sep-ticemia,and necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates and infants,with neurological sequelae in severe cases.Interest in Cronobacter has increased significantly in recent years due to its high virulence in children.In this review,we summarize the current understanding of the prevalence of Cronobacter species in several important food types.We discuss the response mechanisms enabling persistence in adverse growth con-ditions,as well as its pathogenicity.We emphasize the food safety concerns caused by Cronobacter and subsequent control methods and clinical treatments.