SEED GRANT: PHAGE ENDOLYSINS AS DISINFECTANT AGAINST LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES ON SPINACH

The goal of this project is toidentify cold-active Lm endolysins and to test for endolysin-endolysin and endolysin-sanitizer synergies to find a more efficacious Lm treatment on spinach with minimal cost increases.Specific Aims:Aim 1. Compare cold-active Lm phage endolysins (e.g. LysZ5, Ply511, PlyP100, PlyP40, PlyPSA) against food safety strains of Lm at room temperature (RT) and food processing temps.Aim 2. Compare the optimal phage endolysins against food safety strains of Lm on spinach at RT and at post-harvest processing temperatures.Aim 3. Test for synergy against Lm between the most active endolysins and food sanitizers at RT and on spinach at post-harvest processing temps.