Characterization of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and acid tolerance of foodborne pathogenic bacteria

Abstract

Foodborne pathogenic bacteria are subject to different stressful conditions due to process conditions, storage andcomposition of food. It is crucial to understand the survival characteristics of these bacteria to develop effectivemeasures to limit or eliminate their survival in food. EDTA is a chelating agent and commonly used in food formulations for its function to prevent discoloration or flavor loss in food and to extend shelf life. Due to its commonuse in food industry, it is important to understand its antimicrobial function for possible interaction with other antimicrobials for elimination of foodborne pathogens. In this study, different foodborne pathogenic bacteria includingtwo Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus) and three Gram-negative (Escherichia coliO157:H7, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhimurium) bacteria were characterized for their survival andgrowth in the presence of EDTA (0.01 and 0.05%) and under acidic condition (pH 5.0). The presence of EDTA in thegrowth media caused Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria to become more susceptible to subsequent stressfulconditions compared to control (p