Pulsed-Electric Field Treatment Enhances the Bactericidal Action of Nisin against Bacillus cereus

Vegetative cells of Bacillus cereus were subjected to low doses of nisin (0.06 μg/ml) and mild pulsed-electric field treatment (16.7 kV/cm, 50 pulses each of 2-μs duration). Combining both treatments resulted in a reduction of 1.8 log units more than the sum of the reductions obtained with the single treatments, indicating synergy.