Bacterial biofilm formation on stainless steel: exploring the capacity of Enterococcus spp. isolated from dairy products on AISI 316 L and AISI 304 L surfaces

This study aimed to investigate the ability of twelve strains of Enterococcus spp. to form biofilms on stainless steel (AISI 316 L and AISI 304 L) and to characterize the physicochemical properties of the bacterial and surface supports. The study also examined the auto-aggregation and extracellular polymeric substances of strains in both planktonic and sessile forms. The results showed that all Enterococcus spp. strains tested were capable of forming biofilms, with varying degrees reaching 7.41 log CFU/cm² on AISI 316 L for Enterococcus mundtii A1. On AISI 304 L, the highest biofilm recorded was 7.01 log CFU/cm² for Enterococcus mundtii A13. It was observed that auto-aggregation was influenced by the strains’ hydrophobicity. These results shed light on the possible application of Enterococcus spp. biofilm as a strategy to control pathogenic biofilms in various industries and provide insight into the role of physicochemical properties in biofilm formation.