{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,19]],"date-time":"2026-08-19T05:24:57Z","timestamp":1787117097163,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,19]],"date-time":"2026-08-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787097600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Nutr."],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    High abundance of microplastics in the environment and its potential dangers have been an increasingly emerging topic in the last decade. Thus far, research on microplastics has focused mainly on water systems, sewage, and soil, where they have been described as additional surfaces and vectors for microorganism growth and transmission. In our study we hypothesized that microplastics play a role in aiding the survival of bacteria in clinical or food production environments by influencing effectiveness of routine disinfection. To test this hypothesis, two typical foodborne pathogens,\n                    <jats:italic>Listeria monocytogenes<\/jats:italic>\n                    and\n                    <jats:italic>Escherichia coli<\/jats:italic>\n                    , were exposed to different disinfection methods, physical (heat and ultraviolet (UV) radiation) and chemical (lactic acid and benzalkonium chloride), in presence of microplastics. Two experimental groups were tested and subsequently compared with the control group: bacteria incubated overnight in presence of microplastics, and bacteria mixed with microplastics shortly before exposure to disinfectant methods. Our study included two different types and sizes of microplastics: 1\u20135\u202f\u03bcm thermoset amino-formaldehyde (TAFP) polymers and 425\u2013500\u202f\u03bcm polyethylene (PE). Disinfection efficiency was determined from the log\u2081\u2080 reduction in bacterial counts after 10, 30 or 60\u202fmin of exposure to physical and chemical disinfectants, and after 60\u202fmin of exposure to UV. Our results indicate that, while microplastics do not shield the bacteria from heat-shock, they can support their survival in presence of benzalkonium chloride and under the exposure of UV light. More specifically, TAFP appears to cancel out the effect of benzalkonium chloride by absorbing or reacting with it. On the other hand, both types of microplastics seem to create a physical barrier protecting bacteria against UV light. Our research points out the necessity in taking microplastics into account when assessing disinfection methods efficiency.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fnut.2026.1812387","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,19]],"date-time":"2026-08-19T04:36:58Z","timestamp":1787114218000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Bacterial-microplastic interaction can affect disinfection efficiency of methods routinely used in the food industry"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Tea","family":"Movsesijan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Food Microbiology, Centre for Food Science, Clinical Department for Farm Animals and Food System Transformation, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna","place":["Vienna, Austria"]},{"name":"Christian-Doppler Laboratory for Detection and Reduction of Dormant Bacteria, Centre for Food Science and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna","place":["Vienna, Austria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Natalie","family":"Gawin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Food Microbiology, Centre for Food Science, Clinical Department for Farm Animals and Food System Transformation, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna","place":["Vienna, Austria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nina","family":"Gruber","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Food Microbiology, Centre for Food Science, Clinical Department for Farm Animals and Food System Transformation, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna","place":["Vienna, Austria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Leon","family":"Ploszczanski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Material Sciences and Process Engineering, Institute of Physics and Materials Science, BOKU University","place":["Vienna, Austria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christian","family":"Zafiu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Landscape, Water and Infrastructure, Institute of Waste Management and Circularity, BOKU University","place":["Vienna, Austria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Patrick","family":"Mikuni-Mester","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Food Microbiology, Centre for Food Science, Clinical Department for Farm Animals and Food System Transformation, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna","place":["Vienna, Austria"]},{"name":"Christian-Doppler Laboratory for Detection and Reduction of Dormant Bacteria, Centre for Food Science and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna","place":["Vienna, Austria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","volume-title":"Directive 2008\/56\/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council Framework for Community action in the field of marine Environmental Policy, Pub. 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