Inactivation of foodborne and other pathogenic bacteria with pyrrolidine based fatty acid amide derivatives

Foodborne pathogens are a persistent threat to food and consumer safety. To mitigate outbreaks and contamination incited by these pathogens, the development of novel preventative safety controls and biorational inactivation measures are paramount. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the efficacy of pyrrolidine-based amide derivatives of decanoic (DEPY), lauric (LAPY), myristic (MYPY) and palmitic (PAPY) fatty acids for in-vitro inhibition and inactivation of various Gram-positive bacterial strains including Listeria monocytogenes (typically associated with foodborne illness), Bacillus subtilis, and Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus (both normally present in the oral cavity and involved with dental caries). Compared to no treatment (control), significant differences (P < 0.05) in the growth of Listeria strains were seen in-vitro with increased inhibition at higher amide concentrations (10,000–20,000 ppm). Furthermore, in-vitro growth inhibition of B. subtilis, S. sobrinus, and S. mutans was also observed with an effectiveness of LAPY>MYPY>PAPY>DEPY. In co-inoculation assays, LAPY treatment significantly reduced Listeria growth from 1.55 to >5.0 Log CFU/mL when a concentration range of 5 to 250 ppm was applied. Moreover, Listeria populations on pathogen-inoculated produce were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced from 0.51 to >3.00 Log CFU/g with greater inactivation on carrots compared to alfalfa, soybean, and pistachio. These results demonstrated the potential value of these FA amides against Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria. Biorational applications of antibacterial FA amides on fresh produce as a postharvest intervention process offers a great potential for enhancement of food safety.