Inhibitory Effect of Phenethyl Isothiocyanate on the Adhesion and Biofilm Formation of Staphylococcus aureus and Application on Beef

This study aimed to explore the mechanism by which phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) inhibited the adhesion and biofilm formation of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (<i>S. aureus</i>). PEITC exhibited antimicrobial efficacy against <i>S. aureus</i>, demonstrating a minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of 1 mmol/L. PEITC exerted its antibacterial effect by disrupting cell membrane integrity, and it decreased total adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production after 1 and 4 h treatment. PEITC at 0.5 mmol/L increased the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) by 26.39% compared to control. The mature biofilm of <i>S. aureus</i> was destroyed by 86.4% after treatment with PEITC for 24 h. Adhesion tests revealed that PEITC at 0.5 mmol/L reduced 44.51% of the <i>S. aureus</i> that adhered to NCM460 cells. Furthermore, at the genetic level, PEITC significantly downregulated the related genes by 31.26% to 97.04%, including <i>agrB</i>, <i>agrD</i>, <i>isdA</i>, <i>ebh</i>, <i>luxS</i>, <i>fnbA</i>, and <i>icaR.</i> Moreover, PEITC markedly inhibited <i>S. aureus</i> proliferation in beef preserved at temperatures of 25 and 4 °C, respectively. In summary, the present study suggests that PEITC effectively inhibits the adhesion and biofilm formation of <i>S. aureus</i> by affecting the relevant genes of <i>S. aureus</i> and holds promise for microbial management in meat products.