Predictive models for the effect of storage temperature on Vibrio parahaemolyticus viability and counts of total viable bacteria in Pacific oysters ( Crassostrea gigas )

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an indigenous bacterium of marine environments. It accumulates in oysters and may reach levels that cause human illness when postharvest temperatures are not properly controlled and oysters are consumed raw or undercooked. Predictive models were produced by injecting Pacif...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Main Authors: Fernandez-Piquer, J, Bowman, JP, Ross, T, Tamplin, ML
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Amer Soc Microbiology 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.05568-11
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22003032
http://ecite.utas.edu.au/75346
Description
Summary:Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an indigenous bacterium of marine environments. It accumulates in oysters and may reach levels that cause human illness when postharvest temperatures are not properly controlled and oysters are consumed raw or undercooked. Predictive models were produced by injecting Pacific oysters( Crassostrea gigas ) with a cocktail of V. parahaemolyticus strains, measuring viability rates at storage temperatures from 3.6 to 30.4 Celsius degree, and fitting the data to a model to obtain parameter estimates. The models wereevaluated with Pacific and Sydney Rock oysters ( Saccostrea glomerata ) containing natural populations of V. parahaemolyticus . V. parahaemolyticus viability was measured by direct plating samples on thiosulfate-citratebilesalts-sucrose (TCBS) agar for injected oysters and by most probable number (MPN)-PCR for oysters containing natural populations. In parallel, total viable bacterial counts (TVC) were measured by direct plating on marine agar. Growth/inactivation rates for V. parahaemolyticus were -0.006, -0.004, -0.005,-0.003, 0.030, 0.075, 0.095, and 0.282 log10 CFU/h at 3.6, 6.2, 9.6, 12.6, 18.4, 20.0, 25.7, and 30.4 Celsius degree, respectively.The growth rates for TVC were 0.015, 0.023, 0.016, 0.048, 0.055, 0.071, 0.133, and 0.135 log10 CFU/h at 3.6, 6.2, 9.3, 14.9, 18.4, 20.0, 25.7, and 30.4 Celsius degree, respectively. Square root and Arrhenius-type secondary models were generated for V. parahaemolyticus growth and inactivation kinetic data, respectively. A square root model was produced for TVC growth. Evaluation studies showed that predictive growth for V. parahaemolyticus and TVC were "fail safe." The models can assist oyster companies and regulators in implementing managementstrategies to minimize V. parahaemolyticus risk and enhancing product quality in supply chains.