{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T20:20:26Z","timestamp":1791663626866,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,1,17]],"date-time":"2020-01-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1579219200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The main objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of thymol in controlling environmental contamination in food processing facilities. The effect of thymol was tested as an agent to prevent planktonic and bacterial biofilm growth of twenty-five Listeria monocytogenes isolates from a variety of foods and five Escherichia coli isolates from a farm. The E. coli isolates were positive for extended spectrum \u03b2-lactamase (ESBL) genes. All isolates and reference strains were susceptible to thymol at Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 250 to 800 \u03bcg\/mL. An interesting activity of interference with biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes and E. coli was found for thymol at sub-MIC concentrations of 200, 100, 75, and 50 \u03bcg\/mL. Anti-biofilm activity ranging from 59.71% to 66.90% against pre-formed 24-h-old L. monocytogenes biofilms at concentrations of 500 or 800 \u00b5g\/mL, corresponding to 2\u00d7 MIC, was determined against free-living forms of six isolates chosen as the best or moderate biofilm producers among the tested strains. The property of thymol to attack L. monocytogenes biofilm formation was also observed at a concentration of 100 \u00b5g\/mL, corresponding to 1\/4 MIC, by using a stainless-steel model to simulate the surfaces in food industries. This study gives information on the use of thymol in food processing setting.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules25020383","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,1,17]],"date-time":"2020-01-17T07:39:02Z","timestamp":1579246742000},"page":"383","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":20,"title":["Control of Growth and Persistence of Listeria monocytogenes and \u03b2-Lactam-Resistant Escherichia coli by Thymol in Food Processing Settings"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"25","author":[{"given":"Maria Grazia","family":"Cusimano","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), via Archirafi 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4483-2058","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vita","family":"Di Stefano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), via Archirafi 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"La Giglia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IZS Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia via Gino Marinuzzi, 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vincenzo","family":"Di Marco Lo Presti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IZS Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia via Gino Marinuzzi, 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2416-0474","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Domenico","family":"Schillaci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), via Archirafi 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesco","family":"Pomilio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro di Referenza Nazionale Listeria at Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Abruzzo Molise, via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2084-2718","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria","family":"Vitale","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IZS Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia via Gino Marinuzzi, 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,1,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1080\/03009734.2016.1195900","article-title":"Antimicrobial resistance\u2014A threat to the world\u2019s sustainable development","volume":"121","author":"Littmann","year":"2016","journal-title":"Ups. J. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20140083","DOI":"10.1098\/rstb.2014.0083","article-title":"Antimicrobial resistance in humans, livestock and the wider environment","volume":"370","author":"Woolhouse","year":"2015","journal-title":"Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B Biol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Manyi-Loh, C., Mamphweli, S., Meyer, E., and Okoh, A. (2018). Antibiotic Use in Agriculture and Its Consequential Resistance in Environmental Sources: Potential Public Health Implications. Molecules, 23.","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules23040795"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"520","DOI":"10.1038\/ja.2017.30","article-title":"The antibiotic resistance crisis, with a focus on the United States","volume":"70","author":"Martens","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Antibiot."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Liu, Q., Meng, X., Li, Y., Zhao, C.-N., Tang, G.-Y., and Li, H.-B. (2017). Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Spices. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 18.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms18061283"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"276","DOI":"10.1093\/femsre\/fux010","article-title":"Molecular mechanisms of biofilm-based antibiotic resistance and tolerance in pathogenic bacteria","volume":"41","author":"Hall","year":"2017","journal-title":"FEMS Microbiol. Rev."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8268","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.jmedchem.7b00215","article-title":"Pharmaceutical Approaches to Target Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms","volume":"60","author":"Schillaci","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Med. Chem."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2950","DOI":"10.1128\/AEM.68.6.2950-2958.2002","article-title":"Microtiter plate assay for assessment of Listeria monocytogenes biofilm formation","volume":"68","author":"Djordjevic","year":"2002","journal-title":"Appl. Environ. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"49","DOI":"10.2478\/jvetres-2018-0007","article-title":"Ready-to-eat Meat Products as a Source of Listeria monocytogenes","volume":"62","author":"Kurpas","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1070","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodcont.2007.11.006","article-title":"The effect of five common essential oil components on Listeria monocytogenes biofilms","volume":"19","author":"Sandasi","year":"2008","journal-title":"Food Control"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"653","DOI":"10.1080\/14786419.2016.1219860","article-title":"Essential oil components of orange peels and antimicrobial activity","volume":"31","author":"Geraci","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nat. Prod. Res."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"220","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sajb.2011.09.001","article-title":"Activity of South African medicinal plants against Listeria monocytogenes biofilms, and isolation of active compounds from Acacia karroo","volume":"78","author":"Nyila","year":"2012","journal-title":"S. Afr. J. Bot."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4531","DOI":"10.1002\/jsfa.7669","article-title":"The antimicrobial action of resveratrol against Listeria monocytogenes in food-based models and its antibiofilm properties","volume":"96","author":"Ferreira","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Sci. Food Agric."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"519","DOI":"10.1099\/jmm.0.46804-0","article-title":"Effects of oregano, carvacrol and thymol on Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms","volume":"56","author":"Nostro","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Med. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"472","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijantimicag.2007.12.013","article-title":"Thymol inhibits Candida albicans biofilm formation and mature biofilm","volume":"31","author":"Braga","year":"2008","journal-title":"Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodcont.2016.12.016","article-title":"A review of Listeria monocytogenes: An update on outbreaks, virulence, dose-response, ecology, and risk assessments","volume":"75","author":"Buchanan","year":"2017","journal-title":"Food Control"},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"163","article-title":"Pandemic Bacteremic Escherichia coli Strains: Evolution and Emergence of Drug-Resistant Pathogens","volume":"416","author":"Yair","year":"2018","journal-title":"Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"333","DOI":"10.1556\/018.67.2016.3.10","article-title":"Anti-listerial effect of selected essential oils and thymol","volume":"67","author":"Kerekes","year":"2016","journal-title":"Acta Biol. Hung."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"421","DOI":"10.1111\/lam.12401","article-title":"Synergy among thymol, eugenol, berberine, cinnamaldehyde and streptomycin against planktonic and biofilm-associated food-borne pathogens","volume":"60","author":"Liu","year":"2015","journal-title":"Lett. Appl. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodcont.2019.02.035","article-title":"Essential oils compounds as antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents against strains present in the meat industry","volume":"101","author":"Ayhan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Food Control"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"230","DOI":"10.3389\/fcimb.2017.00230","article-title":"Genetic Virulence Profile of Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Danish Children with Either Acute or Persistent Diarrhea","volume":"7","author":"Poulsen","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"241","DOI":"10.4103\/2141-9248.160192","article-title":"Characterization of Escherichia coli Phylogenetic Groups Associated with Extraintestinal Infections in South Indian Population","volume":"5","author":"Chakraborty","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ann. Med. Health Sci. Res."},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"Snedecor, G.W., and Cochran, W.G. (1989). Statistical Methods, Iowa State University Press. [8th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"898","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2018.00898","article-title":"Biofilms in the Food Industry: Health Aspects and Control Methods","volume":"9","author":"Villar","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1451","DOI":"10.3390\/ph6121451","article-title":"Effect of Essential Oils on Pathogenic Bacteria","volume":"6","author":"Nazzaro","year":"2013","journal-title":"Pharmaceuticals"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mahizan, N.A., Yang, S.-K., Moo, C.-L., Song, A.A.-L., Chong, C.-M., Chong, C.-W., Abushelaibi, A., Lim, S.-H.E., and Lai, K.-S. (2019). Terpene Derivatives as a Potential Agent against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Pathogens. Molecules, 24.","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules24142631"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.3947\/ic.2009.41.3.181","article-title":"Rapid Detection of Extended Spectrum \u03b2-Lactamase (ESBL) for Enterobacteriaceae by use of a Multiplex PCR-based Method","volume":"41","author":"Kim","year":"2009","journal-title":"Infect. Chemother."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"541","DOI":"10.1089\/fpd.2011.1082","article-title":"Applicability of a multiplex PCR to detect the seven major Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli based on genes that code for serogroup-specific O-antigens and major virulence factors in cattle feces","volume":"9","author":"Bai","year":"2012","journal-title":"Foodborne Pathog. Dis."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"58","DOI":"10.1111\/1758-2229.12019","article-title":"The Clermont Escherichia coli phylo-typing method revisited: Improvement of specificity and detection of new phylo-groups","volume":"5","author":"Clermont","year":"2013","journal-title":"Environ. Microbiol. Rep."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"124","DOI":"10.1007\/s11274-016-2096-2","article-title":"A peptide from human \u03b2 thymosin as a platform for the development of new anti-biofilm agents for Staphylococcus spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa","volume":"32","author":"Schillaci","year":"2016","journal-title":"World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"433","DOI":"10.1080\/08927011003718673","article-title":"Pyrrolomycins as potential anti-staphylococcal biofilms agents","volume":"26","author":"Schillaci","year":"2010","journal-title":"Biofouling"}],"container-title":["Molecules"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/25\/2\/383\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,13]],"date-time":"2025-10-13T13:29:41Z","timestamp":1760362181000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/25\/2\/383"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,1,17]]},"references-count":31,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,1]]}},"alternative-id":["molecules25020383"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/molecules25020383","relation":{},"ISSN":["1420-3049"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1420-3049","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,1,17]]}}}