Antimicrobial-Loaded Polymeric Micelles Inhibit Enteric Bacterial Pathogens on Spinach Leaf Surfaces During Multiple Simulated Pathogen Contamination Events

Protecting fresh-packed produce microbiological safety against pre- and post-harvest microbial pathogen contamination requires innovative antimicrobial strategies. Although largely ignored in the scientific literature, there exists potential for gross failure food protection of fresh fruits vegetables leading to opportunity multiple events occur during production handling crops. The primary objective this research was determine efficacy plant-derived antimicrobial-loaded nanoparticles reduce Escherichia coli O157:H7 Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium on spinach leaf surfaces whilst simulating (pre-harvest post-harvest). Spinach samples were inoculated with a blend E. S . Typhimurium, each diluted ~8.0 log 10 CFU/mL. then submerged solutions containing loaded geraniol (GPN; 0.5 wt.% geraniol), unencapsulated (UG; wt.%), or 200 ppm chlorine (HOCl; pH 7.0), untreated serving controls. Following treatment application, collected surviving enumeration placed under refrigeration (5°C) up days, periodic loads. After 3 days refrigerated storage, all removed, aseptically opened subjected second inoculation both pathogens. Treatment encapsulated reduced pathogens non-detectable numbers within 7 even event occurring after experiment initiation. Similar results observed UG treatment, except that upon recontamination at day 3, higher load detected UG-treated vs. GPN-treated spinach. These data fill gap by providing novel tool enteric bacterial despite events, risk minimally processed edible produce.