Formic acid, an organic acid food preservative, induces viable-but-non-culturable state, and triggers new Antimicrobial Resistance traits in Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae

• DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.966207
• Publication Date: 2022-11-24T08:36:22Z
• Authors: Manisha Yadav; Samridhi Dhyani; Pooja Joshi; Sakshi Awasthi; Subhash Tanwar; Vishal Gupta; Deepak K. Rathore; Susmita Chaudhuri
• Keywords: Acinetobacter baumannii; Viable but nonculturable; Food microbiology; Pathogenic bacteria

Numerous human pathogens, especially Gram-negative bacteria, are able to enter the viable-but-non-culturable (VBNC) state when they exposed environmental stressors and pose risk of being resuscitated causing infection after removal trigger. Widely used food preservatives like weak organic acids potential VBNC inducers in processing packaging facilities but have only been reported for food-borne pathogens. In present study, it is demonstrated first time that one such agent, formic acid (FA), can induce a at processing, storage, distribution temperatures (4, 25, 37°C) with varied treatment (days 4-10) pathogenic bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii Klebsiella pneumoniae. The use hospital-associated pathogens critical based on earlier reports presence these hospital kitchens commonly consumed foods. induction was validated by multiple parameters, e.g., non-culturability, metabolic activity as energy production, respiratory markers, membrane integrity. Furthermore, FA resuscitate an increased expression virulence Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) genes both Since additives/preservatives significantly most manufacturing supplying hospitals, contamination packaged foods consequence exposure additives emerge pertinent issues control, control antimicrobial resistance setting.