Conductivity and pH dual detection of growth profile of healthy and stressed Listeria monocytogenes

In this study, growth of Listeria monocytogenes in a low conductivity growth medium (LCGM) was simultaneously monitored by conductivity and pH measurements. Detection times obtained from the conductivity and pH growth curves were inversely related to the initial concentration of L. monocytogenes in the medium. Linear responses were found by plotting detection times obtained from both conductivity and pH growth curves as a function of initial cell concentration in the range of 10² to 10⁷ cfu/mL. The detection time was approximately 12 and 2 h for 10² and 10 ⁷ cfu/mL of viable L. monocytogenes, respectively, using the conductivity growth curves, whereas it was approximately 1 h less using the pH growth curves. This dual detection system was used for evaluating the growth of acid-, temperature-, and salt-treated L. monocytogenes in the medium. Acid stress at pH 2 and 3 for 3 h caused approximately 12 and 4 h delay in the detection time on pH growth curves, while stress at pH 5 for 3 h did not cause a significant delay in detection time. Delay in detection times was also observed for L. monocytogenes cells exposed to 45°C for more than 1 h (2 and 6 h). Exposure to 10% NaCl for 3 h did not cause visible delay in the detection time. These observations on detection times for stressed L. monocytogenes had a consistent trend with the cell number decrease determined by surface plating method.