Treatment with lauric arginate ethyl ester and commercial bacteriophage, alone or in combination, inhibits Listeria monocytogenes in chicken breast tissue

- The Inhibitory effect of ListShield against L. monocytogenes on chicken breasts.
- The Inhibitory effect of LAE against L. monocytogenes on chicken breasts.
- The Inhibitory effect of LAE/ListShield against L. mono on chicken breasts.

The inhibitory effect of a commercial bacteriophage preparation (ListShield) on Listeria monocytogenes, alone or in combination with treatment with lauric arginate ethyl ester (LAE), was studied using artificially inoculated fresh chicken breast tissue. A mixture of three L. monocytogenes strains (ATCC 19113, ATCC 19115, and ATCC 13932) was inoculated in fresh chicken breast tissue at approximately 4.5 log CFU/g, followed by treatment with LAE (l00, 200, and 400 mg/kg) and/or phages. Tissues samples were analyzed after 5 min, followed by storage at 4 °C for 1, 2, and 3 days. Phage-treated samples showed a reduction of 0.81 log CFU/g, and samples treated with both phage and LAE during the storage period showed a reduction of 1.96 log CFU/g in cell density. The samples were evaluated for parameters such as pH, surface color, and 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) content, and sensory analysis. No significant difference was observed in the surface color, pH, TBARS content, and sensory quality of the treated and control samples during the 3 days post treatment with phages and LAE (400 mg/kg). Thus, a commercial bacteriophage preparation can be very effective in reducing L. monocytogenes load in chicken fillets, either alone or in combination with LAE treatment.