Progress on influence factors for Cronobacter sakazakii biofilm formation and its control strategies in food industries

Cronobacter sakazakii was an opportunistic food-borne pathogen causing infections in a wide range of age groups. Especially,the bacterium was a serious threat to neonates or immune-compromised infants,which may give rise to different symptoms, such as septicemia, meningitis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and postsurgical osteomyelitis. Biofilm of C. sakazakii on the surfaces of equipment and processing environments was the important source of persistent contamination in food. The epidemiology,biofilm formation mechanisms and biofilm control strategies of C. sakazakii were summarized in this review. The aim of this review was to provide a theoretical guidance,which could be used for establishing biofilm-free food processing systems and the control of potential food contamination,as well as clinical infections caused by this pathogen.