| Stress response facilitates survival of Listeria monocytogenes in the cold and nutrient-deprived food processing environment, allowing L. monocytogenes to compete with the background microflora. The objective of this research was to determine if and how L. monocytogenes' stress response to cold acclimation and starvation was altered by the presence of background microflora consisting of common food spoilage bacteria, as well as determining if a difference in the response could be observed between clinical and food isolates of L. monocytogenes.; The growth characteristics of L. monocytogenes Scott A (clinical isolate, serotype 4b) and L. monocytogenes G (food isolate, serotype 1/2 b) in pure cultures at 4 and 27°C were identical. The presence of Serratia liquefaciens decreased the maximum population density of L. monocytogenes regardless of incubation temperature, but had no effect on the generation time. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
