Determination of Antifouling Capabilities of Silane-Treated Wood

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine antifouling capabilities of silane-treated woods used in fresh edible produce harvest. Pine and oak square coupons (4 cm2 inoculatable surfaces) were treated with 1% (w/w) (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl) trichlorosilane or left untreated (control). Treated and control coupons were then placed in a multi-well plate in order to measure Salmonella enterica or Listeria monocytogenes attachment to wood surfaces after 1, 4, and 8 h post-pathogen application. Silane treatment of both wood types produced significant reductions (P<0.01) in pathogen attachment for both pathogens. After 1 h, silane treatment produced a mean Salmonella attachment reduction of 64.6% (99% CI: ± 13.7%). L. monocytogenes attachment reduction was similar with 67.4% (99% CI: ± 7.86%) reduction. Untreated wood resulted in <1% reduction of both bacterial species’ attachment to wood surfaces. These data suggest silane treatment of wood surfaces prevents pathogenic bacterial attachment to hardwoods used in fruit and vegetable harvest.