Campylobacter spp. are the second leading bacterial cause of food borne illness in the U.S.  New antimicrobials that prevent bacterial attachment may be effective for reducing Campylobacter.  Delmopinol hydrochloride (delmopinol) is a cationic surfactant that is effective for treating and preventing gingivitis and periodontitis.  This study evaluated the effectiveness of delmopinol for reducing attachment of Campylobacter jejuni to chicken, stainless steel and high-density polyethylene.

Chicken pieces, steel and HDPE coupons were spot-inoculated with 0.1 mL of a Campylobacter jejuni culture.  After 10 min, samples were sprayed with 0.5% or 1.0% delmopinol, 0.01% sodium hypochlorite, or distilled water.  Contact times were 1, 10, or 20 min prior to rinsing with buffered peptone water. Rinses were serially diluted onto Campy Cefex Agar for enumeration.  For additional samples, solutions were applied first, followed by inoculation with C. jejuni after 10 min.  Cultures remained undisturbed for 1, 10, or 20 min.  Then samples were rinsed and plated as above.

When C. jejuni was inoculated before treatments, 1% delmopinol application led to mean log reductions of 1.26, 3.70, and 3.72 log CFU/mL, greater than distilled water, for chicken, steel and HDPE respectively. When C. jejuni was inoculated after spray treatments, 1% delmopinol reduced C. jejuni by 2.72, 3.20, and 3.99 mean log CFU/mL more than distilled water for chicken, steel and HDPE respectively.  Application of 1% delmopinol, either before or after bacteria inoculation, resulted in a significantly (p<0.05) greater log reduction than 0.01% sodium hypochlorite or distilled water. Delmopinol may be a promising antimicrobial treatment.