Listeria monocytogenes repellence by enzymatically modified PES surfaces

: The effect of enzyme-catalyzed modification of poly(ethersulfone) (PES) on the adhesion and biofilm formation of two Listeria monocytogenes strains is evaluated under static and dynamic flow conditions. PES has been modified with gallic acid, ferulic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. The surfaces modified with any of these compounds show up to 70% reduced adhesion of L. mono-cytogenes under static conditions and up to 95% under dynamic flow conditions compared with unmodified surfaces. Also, under static conditions the formation of biofilms is reduced by 70%. These results indicate that the brush structures that are formed by the polymers on the PES surface directly influence the ability of microorganisms to interact with the surface, thereby reducing attachment and biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes. Based on these results, it is expected that enzyme-catalyzed surface modification is a promising tool to reduce microbial adhesion and biofilm formation