Abstract
Outbreaks of foodborne illness attributed to the consumption of Salmonella-tainted cantaloupe have occurred repeatedly, but understanding of the ecology of Salmonella on cantaloupe fruit surfaces is limited. We investigated the interactions between Salmonella enterica Poona, the plant pathogenic bacterium Erwinia tracheiphila, and cantaloupe fruit. Fruit surfaces were inoculated at the natural cracking stage by spreading S. enterica and E. tracheiphila, 20 µl at 107 cfu/ml, independently or together, over a 2×2 cm rind area containing a crack. Microbial and microscopic analyses were performed at 0, 9 and 24 days post inoculation (DPI). Even at 24 DPI (fruit maturity) S. enterica was detected on 14% and 40% of the fruit inoculated with S. enterica alone and the two-pathogen mixture, respectively. However, the population of S. enterica declined gradually after initial inoculation. E. tracheiphila, inoculated alone or together with Salmonella, caused watersoaked lesions on cantaloupe fruit; but we could not conclude in this study that S. enterica survival on the fruit surface was enhanced by the presence of those lesions. Of fruit inoculated with E. tracheiphila alone and sampled at 24 DPI, 61% had watersoaked lesions on the surface. In nearly half of those symptomatic fruits the watersoaking extended into the sub-rind mesocarp, and E. tracheiphila was recovered from that tissue in 50% of the symptomatic fruit. In this work, E. tracheiphila internalized through natural cracks on developing fruits. S. enterica was never detected in the fruit interior (ca. 2-3 mm below rind surface) under the limited conditions of our experiments, but the possibility that it, or other human pathogens that contaminate fresh produce, might also do so should be investigated under a wider range of conditions and produce types.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
At 24 days, Salmonella was detected on 14% of fruit inoculated with Salmonella alone.
- Taxon
- cantaloupe
Cucumis melo var. cantalupoe1 - Organ / stage
- fruit maturitye0
- Treatment
- S. enterica alonee0
- Interactor
- S. enterica
Salmonella entericae0pathogen - Outcome
- S. enterica was detectede0
- Value
- 14%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Even at 24 DPI (fruit maturity) S. enterica was detected on 14% and 40% of the fruit inoculated with S. enterica alone and the two-pathogen mixture, respectively.”
e1“and cantaloupe fruit.”
Claim · model-written summary
At 24 days, Salmonella was detected on 40% of fruit inoculated with both pathogens.
- Taxon
- cantaloupeCucumis melo var. cantalupoe1
- Treatment
- two-pathogen mixturee0
- Interactor
- S. entericaSalmonella entericae0pathogen
- Second interactor
- E. tracheiphila
Erwinia tracheiphilae2pathogen - Outcome
- S. enterica was detectede0
- Value
- 40%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Even at 24 DPI (fruit maturity) S. enterica was detected on 14% and 40% of the fruit inoculated with S. enterica alone and the two-pathogen mixture, respectively.”
e1“and cantaloupe fruit.”
e2“S. enterica and E. tracheiphila”
Claim · model-written summary
The Salmonella population declined gradually after inoculation.
- Taxon
- cantaloupeCucumis melo var. cantalupoe1
- Interactor
- S. entericaSalmonella entericae0pathogen
- Outcome
- population of S. entericae0
- Direction
- declined graduallye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the population of S. enterica declined gradually after initial inoculation.”
e1“and cantaloupe fruit.”
Claim · model-written summary
Erwinia tracheiphila alone caused watersoaked lesions on cantaloupe fruit.
- Taxon
- cantaloupeCucumis melo var. cantalupoe0
- Treatment
- E. tracheiphila, inoculated alonee0
- Interactor
- E. tracheiphilaErwinia tracheiphilae0pathogen
- Outcome
- watersoaked lesionse0
- Direction
- causede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“E. tracheiphila, inoculated alone or together with Salmonella, caused watersoaked lesions on cantaloupe fruit”
Claim · model-written summary
Erwinia tracheiphila with Salmonella caused watersoaked lesions on cantaloupe fruit.
- Taxon
- cantaloupeCucumis melo var. cantalupoe0
- Treatment
- together with Salmonellae0
- Interactor
- E. tracheiphilaErwinia tracheiphilae0pathogen
- Second interactor
- Salmonella
Salmonellae0pathogen - Outcome
- watersoaked lesionse0
- Direction
- causede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“E. tracheiphila, inoculated alone or together with Salmonella, caused watersoaked lesions on cantaloupe fruit”
Claim · model-written summary
At 24 days, 61% of fruit inoculated only with E. tracheiphila had surface watersoaked lesions.
- Taxon
- cantaloupeCucumis melo var. cantalupoe1
- Treatment
- E. tracheiphila alonee0
- Interactor
- E. tracheiphilaErwinia tracheiphilae0pathogen
- Outcome
- watersoaked lesions on the surfacee0
- Value
- 61%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Of fruit inoculated with E. tracheiphila alone and sampled at 24 DPI, 61% had watersoaked lesions on the surface.”
e1“and cantaloupe fruit.”
Claim · model-written summary
Watersoaking extended into sub-rind mesocarp in nearly half the symptomatic fruit.
Verbatim
e0“In nearly half of those symptomatic fruits the watersoaking extended into the sub-rind mesocarp”
Claim · model-written summary
E. tracheiphila was recovered from sub-rind mesocarp in 50% of symptomatic fruit.
- Taxon
- fruite0
- Organ / stage
- sub-rind mesocarpe1
- Interactor
- E. tracheiphilaErwinia tracheiphilae0pathogen
- Outcome
- E. tracheiphila was recoverede0
- Value
- 50%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“E. tracheiphila was recovered from that tissue in 50% of the symptomatic fruit.”
e1“sub-rind mesocarp”
Claim · model-written summary
E. tracheiphila entered developing fruit through natural cracks.
- Taxon
- fruitse0
- Organ / stage
- developing fruitse0
- Interactor
- E. tracheiphilaErwinia tracheiphilae0pathogen
- Outcome
- internalized through natural crackse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“E. tracheiphila internalized through natural cracks on developing fruits.”
Claim · model-written summary
Salmonella was not detected 2-3 mm below the rind surface under the tested conditions.
- Taxon
- fruite0
- Organ / stage
- fruit interiore0
- Interactor
- S. entericaSalmonella entericae0pathogen
- Outcome
- S. enterica was never detectede0
- Qualifier
- ca. 2-3 mm below rind surfacee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“S. enterica was never detected in the fruit interior (ca. 2-3 mm below rind surface) under the limited conditions of our experiments”
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