The microbiota of wooden cheese-ripening boards is a rich source of antimicrobial-producing bacteria against Listeria monocytogenes

Abstract

Despite stringent food safety measures, L. monocytogenes foodborne outbreaks remain frequent with high hospitalization and mortality rates. Removal of L. monocytogenes from food processing environments is extremely challenging because this pathogen is ubiquitous and encodes a wide array of stress response mechanisms that enable it to thrive under harsh conditions. Our study found that clean wooden boards used in cheese ripening inhibit L. monocytogenes , causing a noticeable decline in pathogen population following surface inoculation. Bacterial communities on wooden cheese boards are rich and diverse and harbor many species that produce antimicrobial compounds against L. monocytogenes , with the example of a new B. safensis isolate. Therefore, the wooden cheese-ripening board microbiota is a promising source for future antimicrobial discovery efforts.