Editing Biofilm (section)

=== Food industry ===
Biofilms have become problematic in several food industries due to the ability to form on plants and during industrial processes.<ref name=ref1>{{cite journal | title = Biofilm formation in food industries: A food safety concern |journal=Food Control|volume=31|issue=2|date=June 2013| vauthors = Srey S, Jahid ID, Ha SD |pages =572–585|issn= 0956-7135|doi=10.1016/j.foodcont.2012.12.001 }}</ref> Bacteria can survive long periods of time in water, animal manure, and soil, causing biofilm formation on plants or in the processing equipment.<ref>T. Tarver, "Biofilms: A Threat to Food Safety – IFT.org", Ift.org, 2016.</ref> The buildup of biofilms can affect the heat flow across a surface and increase surface corrosion and frictional resistance of fluids.<ref name=ref2>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kumar CG, Anand SK | title = Significance of microbial biofilms in food industry: a review | journal = International Journal of Food Microbiology | volume = 42 | issue = 1–2 | pages = 9–27 | date = June 1998 | pmid = 9706794 | doi = 10.1016/s0168-1605(98)00060-9 }}</ref> These can lead to a loss of energy in a system and overall loss of products.<ref name=ref2 /> Along with economic problems, biofilm formation on food poses a health risk to consumers due to the ability to make the food more resistant to disinfectants<ref name=ref1 /> As a result, from 1996 to 2010 the [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] estimated 48 million foodborne illnesses per year.<ref name=ref1 /> Biofilms have been connected to about 80% of bacterial infections in the United States.<ref name=ref1 />

In [[produce]], microorganisms attach to the surfaces and biofilms develop internally.<ref name=ref1 /> During the washing process, biofilms resist sanitization and allow bacteria to spread across the produce,<ref name=ref1 /> especially via kitchen utensils.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kwok TY, Ma Y, Chua SL | title = Biofilm dispersal induced by mechanical cutting leads to heightened foodborne pathogen dissemination | journal = Food Microbiology | volume = 102 | pages = 103914 | date = April 2022 | pmid = 34809940 | doi = 10.1016/j.fm.2021.103914 | hdl = 10397/100037 | s2cid = 244234814 | hdl-access = free }}</ref> This problem is also found in ready-to-eat foods, because the foods go through limited cleaning procedures before consumption<ref name=ref1 /> Due to the perishability of dairy products and limitations in cleaning procedures, resulting in the buildup of bacteria, dairy is susceptible to biofilm formation and contamination.<ref name=ref1 /><ref name=ref2 /> The bacteria can spoil the products more readily and contaminated products pose a health risk to consumers. One species of bacteria that can be found in various industries and is a major cause of foodborne disease is ''[[Salmonella]]''.<ref name=ref3>{{cite journal | vauthors = Mizan F | year = 2015| title = Microbial biofilms in seafood: A food-hygiene challenge | journal = Food Microbiology| volume = 49| pages = 41–55| doi = 10.1016/j.fm.2015.01.009| pmid = 25846914}}</ref> Large amounts of Salmonella contamination can be found in the poultry processing industry as about 50% of ''Salmonella'' strains can produce biofilms on poultry farms.<ref name=ref1 /> ''Salmonella'' increases the risk of foodborne illnesses when the poultry products are not cleaned and cooked correctly. ''Salmonella'' is also found in the seafood industry where biofilms form from seafood borne pathogens on the seafood itself as well as in water.<ref name=ref3 /> Shrimp products are commonly affected by ''Salmonella'' because of unhygienic processing and handling techniques<ref name=ref3 /> The preparation practices of shrimp and other seafood products can allow for bacteria buildup on the products.<ref name=ref3 />

New forms of cleaning procedures are being tested to reduce biofilm formation in these processes which will lead to safer and more productive food processing industries. These new forms of cleaning procedures also have a profound effect on the environment, often releasing toxic gases into the groundwater reservoirs.<ref name=ref2 /> As a response to the aggressive methods employed in controlling biofilm formation, there are a number of novel technologies and chemicals under investigation that can prevent either the proliferation or adhesion of biofilm-secreting microbes. Latest proposed biomolecules presenting marked anti-biofilm activity include a range of metabolites such as bacterial [[rhamnolipid]]s<ref>{{cite journal| vauthors = De Araujo LV, Abreu F, Lins U, Santa Anna LM, Nitschke M, Freire DM |date=January 2011|title=Rhamnolipid and surfactin inhibit Listeria monocytogenes adhesion|journal=Food Research International|volume=44|issue=1|pages=481–488|doi=10.1016/j.foodres.2010.09.002}}</ref> and even plant-<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Wang X, Yao X, Zhu Z, Tang T, Dai K, Sadovskaya I, Flahaut S, Jabbouri S | title = Effect of berberine on Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm formation | journal = International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents | volume = 34 | issue = 1 | pages = 60–6 | date = July 2009 | pmid = 19157797 | doi = 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2008.10.033 }}</ref> and animal-derived [[alkaloid]]s.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Carvalho DB, Fox EG, Santos DG, Sousa JS, Freire DM, Nogueira FC, Domont GB, Castilho LV, Machado EA | title = Fire Ant Venom Alkaloids Inhibit Biofilm Formation | journal = Toxins | volume = 11 | issue = 7 | pages = 420 | date = July 2019 | pmid = 31323790 | pmc = 6669452 | doi = 10.3390/toxins11070420 | doi-access = free }}</ref>