BioliSME

BioliSME is a European project that aims to develop a device to quickly detect Listeria monocytogenes on food industry surfaces.

The University of Southampton is the partner responsible for the biofilm studies. Therefore, the first part of my work is to grow L. monocytogenes biofilms of different ages in different nutrient environments, at different temperatures to optimise the conditions of biofilm formation, and test the ability of several L. monocytogenes strains (isolated from different industries – e.g. meat or cheese production) to form biofilms. It also aims to test different materials commonly used as food industry surfaces as substrata for L. monocytogenes biofilms.

In a second part of the project it is aimed to study the attachment and detachment forces of L. monocytogenes cells to stainless steel surfaces. For that a radial flow cell device will be used at several flow rates and mathematical models will be used to calculate the shear forces necessary to attach or remove L. monocytogenes cells from those surfaces.