Biofilms and their consequences, with particular reference to hygiene in the food industry (original) (raw)
Related papers
Springer Series on Biofilms, 2011
In the seventeenth century, a dry-goods merchant named Antonie van Leeuwenhoek first observed "animalcules" swarming on living and dead matter. Leeuwenhoek's curiosity and inventiveness were remarkable; he discovered these "animalcules" in the tartar on his own teeth and even after meticulous cleansing, the remaining opaque deposits isolated between his teeth were still "as thick as if it were batter". These deposits contained a mat of various forms of "animalcules" that we now know were the bacteria of dental plaque. It is reasonable to suggest that this early study of dental plaque was the first documented evidence of the existence of microbial biofilms. Today, we generally define such biofilms as microbial communities adhered to a substratum and encased within an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) produced by the microbial cells themselves. Biofilms may form on a wide variety of surfaces, including natural aquatic systems living tissues, indwelling medical devices and industrial/potable water system piping. The vast majority of microbes grow as biofilms in aqueous environments. These biofilms can be benign or pathogenic, releasing harmful products and toxins, which become encased within the biofilm matrix. Biofilm formation is a phenomenon that occurs in both natural and man-made environments under diverse conditions, occurring on most moist surfaces, plant roots and nearly every living animal. Biofilms may exist as beneficial epithilic communities in rivers and streams, wastewater treatment plant trickling beds or in the alimentary canal of mammals. Given the prevalence of biofilms in
1 Introduction to Biofilms : Definition and Basic Concepts
2015
The idea behind the development of this definition was to provide a terminology usable, without any confusion, in the various domains dealing with biorelated polymers, namely, medicine, surgery, pharmacology, agriculture, packaging, biotechnology and polymer waste management (Vert et al., 2012). Bearing this definition in mind, in this book we use the term ‘biofilm’ to refer to ‘microorganisms attached to and growing, or capable of growing, on a surface’. This definition is broader than the IUPAC definition, as it includes cells or spores that are attached to a surface but have yet to produce a biofilm matrix. We have included attached cells not within a matrix in order to acknowledge that in many instances the act of attaching induces phenotypic changes to a cell. We have included the phrase ‘growing or capable of growing’ to reinforce the point that many of the unique features associated with biofilms arise as a result of the
Microbial Biofilms: Beneficial and Detrimental Impacts
Journal of microbiology, biotechnology and food sciences
Biofilms are matrix-enclosed microbial accretions that bind to biological or non-biological surfaces, such as stream rocks, as well as to surfaces of plants (roots) or animals (epitheliums). Accretions are often enclosed in the outer polymer layer (EPS) that the microorganism or the colonized host's defensive mechanisms may create. Biofilms are a safe mode of growth that lets cells endure in hostile surroundings and also disperses new niches to colonise. Biofilm development also occurs in a vastly diverse range of microorganisms. The biofilm formation cycle embodies a structurally complex and dynamic system that shares the characteristics of both multicellular primitive organisms and complex ecosystems. Although biofilms confer multifarious advantages to their members, such as adhesion/cohesion capabilities, mechanical properties, nutritional sources, metabolite exchange mechanism, cellular communication, defence and drug resistance (e.g. antimicrobials, antiseptics, and disinfe...
Trail of Biofilm Research: As Microbial Tool for Ecological and Industrial Application
Biological Forum - An International Journal, 2023
Biofilms are consortium of microbes of different origin embedded in extra polymeric matrix, which is composed of carbohydrates, extracellular DNA and secreted proteins. A biofilm may be of a single species microbe or a combination of different species and/or groups including bacteria, virus and fungus. Bacterial biofilm formation relies on bacterial cells, substrates, surrounding media and its formation is a complex process involving reversible attachment followed by irreversible attachment phase, Extra Polymeric Substance (EPS) production, biofilm maturation phase and a final detachment phase. Biofilms are found and formed in aquatic environments well rather than other terrestrial or xerophytic conditions, where the ecosystem supports microbial growth. Biofilm in nature have both beneficial and detrimental effects of which, negative effects in health care, drinking water distribution systems, food and marine industries etc. are highlighted and studied well, which resulted studies on inhibition and control of biofilms. Despite the harmful effects, biofilms serve beneficial roles in a variety of fields including bioremediation, waste water treatment, corrosion inhibition, heavy metal remediation and so on. This review elaborates the positive and negative aspects of biofilms of bacterial origin in various fields and highlights the need to encourage the formation of beneficial bacterial biofilms.
2009
Abstract Biofilms are densely packed communities of microbial cells that grow on surfaces and surround themselves with secreted polymers. Many bacterial species form biofilms, and their study has revealed them to be complex and diverse. The structural and physiological complexity of biofilms has led to the idea that they are coordinated and cooperative groups, analogous to multicellular organisms.