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In the present study the biofilm-forming characteristics of 99 serotyped (DMC strains) and 41 genus levelidentified (IS strains) Salmonella strains originating from Turkey were investigated. The strains were selected based on their ability to show the biofilm morphotype on Congo red agar plates. In addition, all strains were evaluated with regard to properties related to forming pellicle structures, physical differences of pellicles, any changes in the media associated with the formation of pellicles, and the presence of cellulose within the formed biofilm matrix as determined using 366 nm UV light. The Salmonella Typhimurium DMC4 strain was the best producer of biofilm grown on polystyrene microtiter plates (optical density at 595 nm: 3.418). In subsequent experiments industrial process conditions were used to investigate different morphotyped Salmonella strains' biofilm-forming capability on stainless steel, a commonly preferred surface for the food industries, and on polystyrene surfaces. The effect of other important industrial conditions, such as temperature (5, 20, 37• C), pH (4.5, 5.5, 6.5, 7.4) and NaCl concentration (0.5, 1.5, 5.5, 10.5%) on the production of biofilm of the different morphotyped Salmonella strains (DMC4; red, dry and rough morphotyped S. Typhimurium, DMC12; brown, dry and rough morphotyped S. Infantis, DMC13; pink, dry and rough morphotyped S. subsp. Roughform) were also assessed. On the other hand, pH values exhibited variable effects on biofilm-forming features for different Salmonella strains on both polystyrene and stainless steel surfaces.

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Over the last decades, several antimicrobial agents have been made available. Due to increasing antimicrobial resistance, bacteriophages were rediscovered for their potential applications against bacterial infections. In the present study, biofilm inhibition and eradication of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium DMC4 strain (S. Typhimurium) was evaluated with respect to different incubation periods at different P22 phage titrations. The efficacy of P22 phage on biofilm formation and eradication of S. Typhimurium DMC4 strain was screened in vitro on polystyrene and stainless steel surfaces. The biofilm forming capacity of S. Typhimurium was significantly reduced at higher phage titrations (106 pfu/mL ?). All phage titers (104-108 pfu/mL) were found to be effective at the end of the 24 h-incubation period whereas higher phage titrations were found to be effective at the end of the 48 h and 72 h of incubation. P22 phage has less efficacy on already formed, especially mature biofilms (72 h-old biofilm). Notable results of P22 phage treatment on S. Typhimurium biofilm suggest that P22 phage has potential uses in food systems.

In the last decade, ready-to-eat (RTE) salad vegetables are gaining increasing importance in human diet. However, since they are consumed fresh, inadequate washing during processing can bring on some foodborne illnesses, like salmonellosis, since these food items have natural contamination from soil and water. During 2009–2010, a total of 81 samples were purchased arbitrarily from local markets in Ankara, and were examined for Salmonella contamination. Salmonella screening was performed by using anti-Salmonella magnetic beads system and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identification of the suspected colonies. Then, the antibiotic resistance profiles of four Salmonella strains identified (strains RTE-1, RTE-2, RTE-3, and RTE-4) were also investigated, since the mechanism by which Salmonella spp. have accumulated antibiotic resistance genes is of interest. All strains showed resistance against sulfonamides (MIC > 128 mg/L). Further results suggested that associated sulfonamide resistance genes were encoded by the 55.0 kb plasmid of strain RTE-1 that involves no integrons. As a result of using two primers (P1254 and P1283) in randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR (RAPD-PCR) analysis, two common amplicons (364 bp and 1065 bp) were determined. The findings of this study provide support to the adoption of guidelines for the prudent use of antibiotics in order to reduce the number of pathogens present on vegetable and fruit farms. Besides, since it is shown that these bacteria started to gain resistance to antibiotics, it is necessary to further investigate the prevalence of them in foods.

In the present study, 13 Salmonella Infantis strains, which have been originated from Turkey, were selected due to their clinical and industrial relevance, sufficient biofilm producing capability and multidrug resistance. Although all tested strains were built up of thin pellicle, optimum pellicle formation has occurred at 28 C. All S. Infantis biofilms were categorized as 'bdar' morphotype following the incubation at both 20 and 28 C, while they were categorized as 'saw' morphotype at 37 C. Under a certain incubation temperature (28 C), 84.62% of strains have formed strong biofilm structures. By using the disk diffusion method, high levels of resistance have been observed among tested bacteria against nalidixic acid (100%), spectinomycin (100%), streptomycin (92.3%), tetracycline (92.3%), kanamycin (76.9%) and neomycin (76.9%). Further studies were performed with S. Infantis DMC 12 strain, due to its capability to produce biofilm and multidrug resistance phenotype. Gentamycin (>64 mg/mL, 2 £ MIC) and tetracycline (>128 mg/mL, 4 £ MIC) were determined as the most effective antibiotics against biofilm formation. The biofilm forms have showed increased antimicrobial resistance when it was compared to the planktonic bacteria. The highest resistance rates of the biofilm bacteria were observed to neomycin (12 £ MIC) followed by spectinomycin (10 £ MIC) and streptomycin (10 £ MIC). Biofilm structure was induced as a result of nalidixic acid, spectinomycin, tetracycline and neomycin treatment at sub-MIC concentrations of tested antibiotics.