What question did this study set out to answer?

The research aims to understand how different water activities affect Cronobacter sakazakii's resilience to UV-C light and drying conditions.

April 22, 2026Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters0 citationsOpen Access

Impact of Sub-Inhibitory Water Activities on the UV-C and Desiccation Resistance of Cronobacter sakazakii

RDRosa Elena Delgado-PortalesAutonomous University of San Luis Potosí ALAurelio López‐MaloUniversidad de las Américas Puebla RHRicardo H. Hernández‐FigueroaUniversidad de las Américas Puebla

Key Points

The research aims to understand how different water activities affect Cronobacter sakazakii's resilience to UV-C light and drying conditions.
Cultured two strains of Cronobacter sakazakii in broth with varying water activity levels using sodium chloride and glycerol.
Exposed cultures to UV-C radiation and desiccation to assess survival rates.
Analyzed growth and inactivation data through Gompertz and Weibull models.
Lower water activity decreased the growth rate and prolonged the lag phase of the bacteria.
Sodium chloride at low water activity levels increased resistance to UV-C radiation.
Glycerol at low water activity increased sensitivity to desiccation; trehalose was not detectable.

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of sub-inhibitory water activities on the survival of Cronobacter sakazakii under UV-C radiation and desiccation.One reference strain (C.sakazakii ATCC 51329) and one food isolate were cultured in trypticase soy broth adjusted to three water activity (a w ) levels (0.960, 0.970, 0.980) using either sodium chloride (NaCl) or glycerol for 24 h, and subsequently exposed to UV-C radiation, desiccation, or their combination.Growth and inactivation data were described using the Gompertz and Weibull models, respectively.Reduced water activity decreased growth rate and extended the lag phase in both strains.NaCl at low a w enhanced C. sakazakii resistance to UV-C, whereas glycerol at a w 0.960 increased sensitivity to desiccation.Trehalose was not detected under any conditions tested.This compatible solute, potentially produced during osmotic stress or desiccation to protect C. sakazakii's proteins and cell membranes and support its integrity and survival, did not accumulate.These findings highlight the role of solute type and water activity in shaping C. sakazakii stress responses, providing valuable insights for designing effective UV-C and desiccation-based treatments for contaminated foods and processing surfaces.

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