Fate of Vibrio parahaemolyticus on shrimp after acidic electrolyzed water treatment

The objective of this study was to investigate the fate of Vibrio parahaemolyticus on shrimp after acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) treatment during storage. Shrimp, inoculated with a cocktail of four strains of V. parahaemolyticus, were stored at different temperatures (4-30 degrees C) after AEW treatment. Experimental data were fitted to modified Gompertz and Log-linear models. The fate of V. parahaemolyticus was determined based on the growth and survival kinetics parameters (lag time, lambda; the maximum growth rate, mu(max); the maximum growth concentration, D; the inactivation value, K) depending on the respective storage conditions. Moreover, real-time PCR was employed to study the population dynamics of this pathogen during the refrigeration temperature storage (10, 7, 4 degrees C). The results showed that AEW treatment could markedly (p < 0.05) decrease the growth rate (mu(max)) and extend the lag time (A) during the post-treatment storage at 30, 25, 20 and 15 degrees C, while it did not present a capability to lower the maximum growth concentration (D). AEW treatment increased the sensitivity of V. parahaemolyticus to refrigeration temperatures, indicated by a higher (p < 0.05) inactivation value (K) of V. parahaemolyticus, especially for 10 degrees C storage. The results also revealed that AEW treatment could completely suppress the proliferation of V. parahaemolyticus in combination with refrigeration temperature. Based on above analysis, the present study demonstrates the potential of AEW in growth inhibition or death acceleration of V. parahaemolyticus on seafood, hence to greatly reduce the risk of illness caused by this pathogen during post-treatment storage. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.