Salmonella can reach tomato fruits on plants exposed to aerosols formed by rain

Outbreaks of Salmonella enterica have been associated with tomatoes and traced back to production areas but the spread of Salmonella in agricultural fields is still poorly understood. Post-rain Salmonella transfer from a point source to the air and then to tomato plants was evaluated. GFP-labeled kanamycin-resistant S. enterica serovar Typhimurium (108 CFU/mL) with and without expression of the rdar morphotype (rough colonies; cells with fimbriae and cellulose) was used as the point source in the center of a rain simulator. Rain intensities of 60 and 110 mm/h were applied for 5, 10, 20, and 30 min. Petri dishes with lactose broth and tomato plants with fruit (50–80 cm high) were placed in the simulator after the rain had ceased. Salmonella recovery from air was maximum (300 CFU/plate) after a rain episode of 60 mm/h for 10 min at distances of at least 85.5 cm above the source and when the rdar morphotype strain was used. Small scale experiments showed that the smooth-colony strain without fimbriae precipitated from the air in significantly higher numbers than the rdar strain. Transfer of aerial Salmonella with the rdar morphotype to tomato fruits on plants followed a beta distribution (2.5950, 4.7393) within the generalized range from 0 to 30 min of rain. Results show for the first time that Salmonella may transfer from rain to the air and contaminate tomato fruits at levels that could possibly be infectious to humans.

► S. Typhimurium can be aerosolized after rain and transferred onto fruits on tomato plants.
► Rdar morphotype affects initial deposition out of the aerosol and survival in air.
► Transfer of rdar S. Typhimurium to tomato fruits followed a beta distribution.