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Article | Open Access

Novel silver nanoparticles loaded Cu-based metal-organic framework as a promising antimicrobial material for controlling Escherichia coli O157:H7 in pork

Dongbo Yang^¹, Jing Yi^¹, Xiaoya Li, Shuqi Zhang, Yiming Xiang, Xingxing Liu, Zhongguo Shan(), Haihua Wang()

College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China

¹ These authors have contributed equally to this work.

Peer review under responsibility of Beijing Academy of Food Sciences.

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Highlights

• Ag@Cu-MOF was established as a novel biocomposite for antimicrobial applications.

• Antimicrobial mechanisms were summarized as membrane disruption and ATP deprivation.

• A superiority in preventing biofilm formation and disrupting performed biofilms.

• Potential application as food contacting material was verified in pork samples.

Graphical Abstract

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Abstract

The risk of infection following consumption of foodborne pathogens contaminated foods became a significant concern for human health and imposes great economic losses to food industry. Herein, Ag nanoparticles were integrated to Cu-based metal-organic framework (Cu-MOF) for antibacterial activity. The crystal structure, morphology and composition of the prepared composite Ag@Cu-MOF were confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Antibacterial assays revealed that Ag@Cu-MOF exhibited increased inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli O157:H7 in comparison to Cu-MOF. Ag@Cu-MOF treated bacterial cells displayed distinct morphological changes, a decreased ratio of live/dead cells, as well as a reduction of intracellular ATP. Antibiofilm studies demonstrated that Ag@Cu-MOF could dramatically inhibit biofilm formation and disrupt preformed biofilms by interfering the metabolic activity and decreasing the expression of biofilm-associated genes. Food contamination model illustrated that Ag@Cu-MOF significantly prevented the growth of E. coli O157:H7 in packed pork. This study sheds light on the potential of Ag@Cu-MOF as a promising antimicrobial material for preserving pork.

Keywords

Metal-organic frameworks Antimicrobial Antibiofilm Pork model

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Food Science and Human Wellness

Volume 14 Issue 3,
March 2025

Article number: 9250060

DOI: 10.26599/FSHW.2024.9250060

Cite this article:

Yang D, Yi J, Li X, et al. Novel silver nanoparticles loaded Cu-based metal-organic framework as a promising antimicrobial material for controlling Escherichia coli O157:H7 in pork. Food Science and Human Wellness, 2025, 14(3): 9250060. https://doi.org/10.26599/FSHW.2024.9250060

Fig. 1 (A) Coordination structure of four Cu²⁺ in the tetranuclear cluster of Cu-MOF (Symmetry codes: ^#1, −1 − x, −y, 1 − z; ^#2, −1 − x, 0.5 + y, 0.5 − z; ^#3, −x, 0.5 + y, 1.5 − z; ^#4, −1 + x, −0.5 − y, −0.5 + z; ^#5, x, −0.5 − y, 0.5 + z); (B) 3D framework of Cu-MOF along the (101) direction containing 1D rectangular channels partly filled by coordinated DMA molecules; (C) RTL topological net in Cu-MOF; (D) PXRD patterns of the simulated pattern from single-crystal structure, as-synthesized sample of Cu-MOF and synthesized composite Ag@Cu-MOF; (E) TGA curves and (F) FTIR spectra of Cu-MOF and Ag@Cu-MOF; (G) XPS spectra of Cu 2p and (H) Ag 3d.
Fig. 2 SEM images of (A) Cu-MOF and (B) Ag@Cu-MOF; (C-E) TEM images of Ag@Cu-MOF; (F) EDX spectra of Ag@Cu-MOF and Cu-MOF; Elemental mapping images of (G) Ag@Cu-MOF and (H) Cu-MOF.
Fig. 3 Antimicrobial activity evaluation. (A) Growth curves of E. coli O157:H7 with different concentrations of Ag@Cu-MOF. (B) Effects of various Ag@Cu-MOF treatment time on cell viability. ^* represents statistical difference compared with the CK (P < 0.05).
Fig. 4 Antimicrobial mechanism investigation. (A) Flow cytometry graphs of cell membrane damage of E. coli O157:H7 after incubation with different concentrations (0,100,200, and 400 μg/mL) of Ag@Cu-MOF; (B) SEM of E. coli O157:H7 after incubation with different concentrations (0,200, and 400 μgmL) of Ag@Cu-MOF for 4 h; (C) Effects of Ag@Cu-MOF on intracellular ATP production. Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences (P < 0.05).
Fig. 5 Antibiofilm activity assays. Biofilm (A) inhibition and (B) eradication effects of Ag@Cu-MOF at different concentrations; CLSM observations of the (C) inhibition and (D) eradication activities of Ag@Cu-MOF on biofilms. Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences (P < 0.05).
Fig. 6 Insight into the antibiofilm mechanism. Inhibitory effects of Ag@Cu-MOF on the metabolic activity of E. coli O157:H7 cells during biofilm (A) formation and (B) eradication; (C) Relative expression level of biofilm-associated genes compared with control. Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences (p < 0.05); ^*represents statistical difference compared with the CK (P < 0.05).
Fig. 7 Antimicrobial activity of Ag@Cu-MOF against E. coli O157:H7 on fresh pork during storage at 4 ℃ up to 12 days. ^*represents statistical difference compared with the CK (P < 0.05).

Return

Table 1 The concentration of Cu²⁺ and Ag⁺ in Ag@Cu-MOF and Cu-MOF aqueous solution (1 mg/mL).

Release time (h)	Ag@Cu-MOF		Cu-MOF
Release time (h)	Cu²⁺ (μg/mL)	Ag⁺ (μg/mL)	Cu²⁺ (μg/mL)
12	0.048	0.213	0.046
24	0.046	0.321	0.042
36	0.051	0.435	0.050
48	0.052	0.539	0.051

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