US Agricultural Research Service scientists have tested a combination of bacterial enemies to control patches of listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne human pathogen that tolerates environmental stress, multiplies at low temperatures and survives refrigeration. It can cause serious infections.

To test the bacteria-fighting potential of their brew, the researchers treated honeydew melon pieces with three different protective solutions: either an oxidative bacterium known as Gluconobacter asaii, a mixture of six L. monocytogenes-specific bacteriophages or a combination of both.

The G. asaii bacteria are naturally present on the surface of pome fruits, such as apples and pears, and are non-toxic to humans. Bacteriophages are viruses that, while non-toxic to humans, kill specific human bacterial pathogens.

After artificially contaminating the test honeydew pieces with L. monocytogenes, the team found that the combination of phages and G. asaii bacteria was the most effective treatment. It reduced L. monocytogenes populations by more than 99.9 percent.

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