Effect of various environmental parameters on the recovery of sublethally salt-damaged and acid-damaged Listeria monocytogenes

The influence of supplementing the culture medium with magnesium sulphate, D-glucose, L-cysteine, catalase or lithium chloride, of incubation temperat ure and of oxygen availability on the recovery of salt- or acid-damaged Lis teria monocytogenes, was studied on a solid repair medium according to a Ha damard matrix, with seven parameters varying between a high and a low level . The most important factors for repair of stressed Listeria were further s tudied with complete factorial design experiments. Results show that condit ions promoting resuscitation of acid- or salt-injured cells are stress-spec ific, and differ in part from those described in the literature for heat-st ressed Listeria.