Foodborne Lactic Acid Bacteria Inactivate Planktonic and Sessile Escherichia coli O157:H7 in a Meat Processing Environment: A Physiological and Proteomic Study

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) forms persistent biofilms on meat processing surfaces, posing a significant cross-contamination risk. This study assessed the antagonistic capacity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) against EHEC under meat-processing-like conditions. Three LAB strains were tested in planktonic co-culture with EHEC at 12 ◦C, all displaying bactericidal activity. In biofilm assays on stainless steel, LAB reduced EHEC biofilms without affecting their own viability. LAB...