Escherichia coli O157:H7 multiplication in the latex of diverse lettuce genotypes is negatively correlated with plant peroxidase activity.

Lettuce (Lactuca spp.) is one of few edible plant species that produce latex. During lettuce harvest, latex leaks from ruptured laticifers onto the cut stem and adheres to other lettuce heads, harvesting tools, and packaging. Little is known about the colonization of lettuce latex by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 (EcO157), the main causal agent of outbreaks linked to lettuce. We screened 14 lettuce genotypes, including wild lettuce and commercial morphological types, for EcO157 multiplication in their latex-coated cut stems. Change in EcO157 density after its inoculation into the latex of these genotypes differed significantly and ranged from a 1.7× decline to a 3.6× increase over 6 h at 25 °C. EcO157 density increased in all genotypes except one, a romaine lettuce breeding line that caused decline of the pathogen. Latex biochemical properties, such as concentration of sucrose, glucose, fructose, phenolic compounds and HO, and peroxidase (POD) activity, were quantified in all genotypes. These traits varied significantly among genotypes, but only POD activity correlated significantly with the change of EcO157 density in the latex (r = -0.553). Total phenolics and HO concentrations were also negatively and significantly correlated with each other (r = -0.608). The inhibitory effect of POD on EcO157 multiplication in lettuce latex and the identification of a genotype that causes decline of the pathogen in its latex may serve as new phenotypic and genotypic tools to control microbial contamination of lettuce at harvest. Their integration in lettuce breeding programs may enhance the microbial safety of lettuce.