Metagenome analysis of biofilms formed on industrial dairy processing filtration membranes. biofilm metagenome

Little is known on the composition of biofilms found on membranes which, to some extent, explain the long-term failure of numerous strategies developed to control biofouling. In this study, a total of 5 spiral-wound membranes elements (from different plants) having filtered pasteurized dairy fluids (milk, whey and whey permeate) were collected after their last cleaning procedure, at the end of their useful lifetime. Targeted analysis of the metagenomic DNA on membranes unraveled the bacterial diversity found on membranes via high-throughput sequencing technology (Miseq, Illumina).