Volatile organic compounds produced by thermophilic and non-thermophilic Campylobacter spp.: influence of growth phase and nutrient composition

Dos Santos, F. M. S. and Low, K. H. and Chai, L. C. (2024) Volatile organic compounds produced by thermophilic and non-thermophilic Campylobacter spp.: influence of growth phase and nutrient composition. International Food Research Journal (Malaysia), 31. pp. 551-566. ISSN 2231 7546

Bacteria produce a plethora of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere as a means of interacting with their habitats, as well as for intra- and interkingdom communication, and to survive and thrive in nature and inside their hosts. Campylobacter, which is commonly found in poultry and ruminants, has demonstrated remarkable endurance in aquatic settings, making it one of the world's most hazardous foodborne pathogens that kill thousands of humans every year. In the present work, the VOCs released by both thermophilic (C. jejuni, C. coli, and C. lari) and non-thermophilic (C. fetus) Campylobacter of clinical significance, which were influenced by nutrient composition (media) and growth phase, were profiled using an active sampling approach, with active charcoal adsorbent and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Alcohols and ketones were detected only in the thermophilic Campylobacter strains, C. jejuni subsp. jejuni (1-heptadecanol; 1,8-nonadien-3-ol; 3,7,11-trimethyl-3-dodecanol; 1s,4R,7R,11R1,3,4,7-tetramethyltricyclo [5.3.1.0(4,11)] undec-2-en-8-one; and isophorone), C. coli (isophorone and 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-phenol), and C. lari (3,7,11-trimethyl-3dodecanol and 1s,4R,7R,11R-1,3,4,7-tetramethyltricyclo [5.3.1.0(4,11)] undec-2-en-8one) between early stationary and stationary growth phases. The non-thermophilic C. fetus produced only a range of unidentified compounds that need to be investigated further in the future. The results from the principal component analysis showed distinctive clustering of VOC markers between the four bacteria taxa and within the strains of C. jejuni, including distinguishable groupings of VOCs throughout the growth phase of each bacterium and between different culture media. This demonstrates the influence of bacterial growth and media composition on the volatilome of the studied Campylobacter spp. Overall, the VOC profiling of these foodborne pathogens, under influencing factors of growth phase and media, paves the way for future rapid identification of Campylobacter spp. in food matrices.

Full text available from: Official URL: http://www.ifrj.upm.edu.my/31%20(03)%202024/02%20-...

Abstract

Bacteria produce a plethora of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere as a means of interacting with their habitats, as well as for intra- and interkingdom communication, and to survive and thrive in nature and inside their hosts. Campylobacter, which is commonly found in poultry and ruminants, has demonstrated remarkable endurance in aquatic settings, making it one of the world's most hazardous foodborne pathogens that kill thousands of humans every year. In the present work, the VOCs released by both thermophilic (C. jejuni, C. coli, and C. lari) and non-thermophilic (C. fetus) Campylobacter of clinical significance, which were influenced by nutrient composition (media) and growth phase, were profiled using an active sampling approach, with active charcoal adsorbent and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Alcohols and ketones were detected only in the thermophilic Campylobacter strains, C. jejuni subsp. jejuni (1-heptadecanol; 1,8-nonadien-3-ol; 3,7,11-trimethyl-3-dodecanol; 1s,4R,7R,11R1,3,4,7-tetramethyltricyclo [5.3.1.0(4,11)] undec-2-en-8-one; and isophorone), C. coli (isophorone and 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-phenol), and C. lari (3,7,11-trimethyl-3dodecanol and 1s,4R,7R,11R-1,3,4,7-tetramethyltricyclo [5.3.1.0(4,11)] undec-2-en-8one) between early stationary and stationary growth phases. The non-thermophilic C. fetus produced only a range of unidentified compounds that need to be investigated further in the future. The results from the principal component analysis showed distinctive clustering of VOC markers between the four bacteria taxa and within the strains of C. jejuni, including distinguishable groupings of VOCs throughout the growth phase of each bacterium and between different culture media. This demonstrates the influence of bacterial growth and media composition on the volatilome of the studied Campylobacter spp. Overall, the VOC profiling of these foodborne pathogens, under influencing factors of growth phase and media, paves the way for future rapid identification of Campylobacter spp. in food matrices.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	organic volatile compounds
AGROVOC Term:	alcohols
AGROVOC Term:	ketones
AGROVOC Term:	poultry
AGROVOC Term:	ruminants
AGROVOC Term:	gas chromatography
AGROVOC Term:	mass spectrometry
AGROVOC Term:	Campylobacter
AGROVOC Term:	culture media
Geographical Term:	Malaysia
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Campylobacter, foodborne pathogens, volatile organic compound
Depositing User:	Nor Hasnita Abdul Samat
Date Deposited:	23 Feb 2026 04:09
Last Modified:	23 Feb 2026 04:09
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/2608

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