Use of phyllosphere associated lactic acid bacteria as biocontrol agents to reduce bacterial growth on fresh produce

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10264808-B2
Application number	US-201615377186-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2016
Priority date	Dec 29, 2015
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

The present invention relates to the use of phyllosphere-associated lactic acid bacteria that demonstrate inhibitory effects on the growth and maintenance of human pathogens, such as Salmonella enterica, on the surface of food products, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables. Particular strains of Enterococcus avium and Lactococcus lactis are described and detailed for their atypical pathogen-inhibiting phenotypes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a human pathogen on the surface of a food product, the method comprising:
a) applying a phyllosphere-associated lactic acid bacterium (PLAB) composition comprising a biologically pure bacterium selected from the group consisting of Lactococcus lactis PTA-122478, Enterococcus avium PTA-122479, and a combination thereof to the surface of the food product; and
b) growing or storing the food product under conditions supporting the maintenance or growth of the PLAB culture, thereby controlling the human pathogen on the surface of the food product;

wherein the human pathogen is selected from the group consisting of Salmonella, Listeria , and Escherichia.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PLAB is applied at a concentration of 1×10 4 to 1×10 8 CFU per square inch of the surface of the food product.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the PLAB is applied at a concentration 1×10 5 CFU per square inch of the surface of the fresh produce.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PLAB is Lactococcus lactis PTA-122478.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PLAB is Enterococcus avium PTA-122479.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the human pathogen is Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes , or Escherichia coli.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PLAB is a mixture of Lactococcus lactis PTA-122478 and Enterococcus avium PTA-122479.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying is carried out post-harvest and wherein the applying is by dipping the food product into a carrier comprising the PLAB.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the PLAB is present in the carrier at a concentration of 1×10 8 to 1×10 9 CFU per mL of the carrier.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying is carried out pre-harvest and the applying is by aerial spraying or sprinkling of a carrier comprising the PLAB.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the PLAB is present in the carrier at a concentration of 1×10 8 to 1×10 9 CFU per mL of the carrier.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the human pathogen is Salmonella enterica and growth of Salmonella enterica is reduced by at least about 10%.

13. A kit comprising a PLAB composition comprising a biologically pure bacterium selected from the group consisting of Lactococcus lactis PTA-122478, Enterococcus avium PTA-122479, or a combination thereof.

Assignees

• Us Agriculture

Inventors

• Mcgarvey Jeffery A
• Hnasko Robert M
• Stanker Larry H
• Gorski Lisa A

Classifications

• A23L3/3463 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A23L3/3571

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A23B7/154

  Organic compounds; Microorganisms; Enzymes · CPC title

• A23B7/155

  Microorganisms; Enzymes {; Antibiotics} · CPC title

• A23Y2240/41

  Human Necessities · mapped topic