This Arcir project aims to quantify interactions on scales from macro to nanoscopic within food and bacterial deposits on inert surfaces in food industry environments and to research their effects in terms of surface hygiene. It focuses on two lines (= 2 Acir projects):
1/ the involvement of resident IAA strains within pathogenic biofilms (Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus) and consequences on the cohesion and resistance to cleaning of these mixed biofilms. The mixed biofilms will be composed of pathogenic bacteria combined with deficient resident bacteria IAA, whose capacity to affect the presence of pathogens will have been highlighted beforehand.
2/ Influence of draining  conditions, and interface properties on the  adhesion/ cohesion of food deposits on equipment walls (line 2 is another Arcir project).

Line 1 aims to quantify interactions on scales from macro to nanoscopic within bacterial deposits on inert surfaces in food industry environments and to research their effects in terms of surface hygiene. More specifically, we will identify the involvement of resident IAA strains within pathogenic biofilms (Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus) and the effects on cohesion and resistance to the cleaning of these mixed biofilms.

The objectives of the project  are as follows:
1. Adaptability of bacterial deposits to controlled adhesion/cohension properties,
2. Development of quantification methods for cohesive properties of bacterial deposits,
3. Identification of the conditions for the formation of  biofilms on their properties of adhesion and cohesion. Modelling of these parameters,
4. Identification of the role of cohesion and adhesion properties on cleaning mechanisms (open and closed systems).

Several types of results are expected:
i) Development/adaptation of methods for estimating the forces of cohesion in biofilms,
ii) Understanding the structuration and detachment mechanisms of biofilms,
iii) Acquisition of data to estimate the risk linked to the persistence of pathogens in biofilms in IAA.

This project was labellised by the  AQUIMER Pole of Competitiveness on 13 February 2009.