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Abstract
A novel, natural, and effective antimicrobial intervention is in demand for improving the microbial safety of sprouts and sprout seeds. This study aimed to determine the effect of ascaroside ascr#18 treatment on the growth of Salmonella enterica and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli on alfalfa and fenugreek seeds and sprouts. It was found that treatment with 1 mM ascr#18 was more effective than 1 µM treatment for reducing the populations of Salmonella and E. coli on sprouts, but the level of Salmonella reduction was about 1 log level higher than the reduction level of E. coli. All four independent variables (seed type, strain type, treatment type, and sprouting time) were significant factors (P ≤ 0.05) influencing Salmonella growth, but strain type was not a significant factor influencing the growth of E. coli. The study provides supporting evidence for the potential application of ascr#18 to control pathogen growth on vegetable sprouts.