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Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Alternative Colony Hybridization Methods for Pathogenic Vibrios

by

Andrew M. Schwartz

,

Haley A. Marcotte

and

Crystal N. Johnson

Foods 2023, 12(7), 1472; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071472 - 30 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1118

Abstract

Vibrios, such as Vibrio parahaemolyticus, are naturally occurring halophilic bacteria that are a major cause of foodborne illness. Because of their autochthonous nature, managing vibrio levels in marine and estuarine environments is impossible. Instead, it is crucial to reliably enumerate their abundance [...] Read more.

Vibrios, such as Vibrio parahaemolyticus, are naturally occurring halophilic bacteria that are a major cause of foodborne illness. Because of their autochthonous nature, managing vibrio levels in marine and estuarine environments is impossible. Instead, it is crucial to reliably enumerate their abundance to minimize human exposure. One method of achieving this is the direct plating/colony hybridization (DP/CH) method, which has been used to efficiently quantify pathogenic vibrios in oysters and other seafood products. Although successful, the method relies on proprietary resources. We examined alternative approaches, assessed the influence of the reagent suppliers’ source on enumeration accuracy, and made experimental adjustments that maximized efficiency, sensitivity, and specificity. We report here that in-house conjugation via Cell Mosaic is a viable alternative to the previously available sole-source distributor of the alkaline phosphatase-conjugated probes used to enumerate vibrios in oysters. We also report that milk was a viable alternative as a blocking reagent, pH must be eight, an orbital shaker was a viable alternative to a water bath, and narrow polypropylene containers were a viable alternative to Whirl-Pak bags. These modifications will be crucial to scientists enumerating vibrios and other pathogens in food products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seafood Safety, Quality and Processing Series II)

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Open AccessArticle

Effect of Different Cold Storage Temperatures on the Evolution of Shucking Yield and Quality Properties of Offshore Cultured Japanese Oyster (Magallana gigas) Treated by High Pressure Processing (HPP)

by

Eduardo Puértolas

,

Sonia García-Muñoz

,

Mercedes Caro

and

Saioa Alvarez-Sabatel

Foods 2023, 12(6), 1156; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12061156 - 09 Mar 2023

Viewed by 747

Abstract

High pressure processing (HPP) can improve oyster shucking yield immediately after the treatment and increase the microbiological and sensory shelf life of oysters stored at 0–4 °C. However, the evolution of shucking yield during storage has not been previously examined and there are [...] Read more.

High pressure processing (HPP) can improve oyster shucking yield immediately after the treatment and increase the microbiological and sensory shelf life of oysters stored at 0–4 °C. However, the evolution of shucking yield during storage has not been previously examined and there are no studies focusing on shelf life at higher storage temperatures. To elucidate both aspects, control and HPP (300 MPa; 2 min) offshore cultivated oysters (Magallana gigas) were stored at 4 and 10 °C for 14 days, analyzing shucking yield, color, texture, microbiological and sensory characteristics. HPP samples showed a higher shucking yield (17% on average) than controls with minimal impact in texture and color, regardless of storage time and temperature. At 10 °C, HPP delayed microbial growth and sensory deterioration, increasing the estimated shelf life of oysters by 3 to 4 days (aerobic plate count < 6 log cycles; overall sensory acceptability > 2). Compared to controls stored at 4 °C, HPP oysters stored at 10 °C presented the same shelf life (5 to 9 days) but with higher shucking yield (up to 25%). In conclusion, HPP is an excellent tool to increase the shucking yield and delay sensory deterioration of oysters stored at 10 °C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seafood Safety, Quality and Processing Series II)

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Open AccessArticle

Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Oysters under Low Tidal Range Conditions: Is Seawater Analysis Useful for Risk Assessment?

by

,

,

and

Foods 2022, 11(24), 4065; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11244065 - 16 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1277

Abstract

Human-pathogenic Vibrio bacteria are acquired by oysters through filtering seawater, however, the relationships between levels of these bacteria in measured in oysters and overlying waters are inconsistent across regions. The reasons for these discrepancies are unclear hindering our ability to assess if -or [...] Read more.

Human-pathogenic Vibrio bacteria are acquired by oysters through filtering seawater, however, the relationships between levels of these bacteria in measured in oysters and overlying waters are inconsistent across regions. The reasons for these discrepancies are unclear hindering our ability to assess if -or when- seawater samples can be used as a proxy for oysters to assess risk. We investigated whether concentrations of total and human pathogenic Vibrio vulnificus (vvhA and pilF genes) and Vibrio parahaemolyticus (tlh, tdh and trh genes) measured in seawater reflect concentrations of these bacteria in oysters (Crassostrea virginica) cultured within the US lower Chesapeake Bay region. We measured Vibrio spp. concentrations using an MPN-qPCR approach and analyzed the data using structural equation modeling (SEM). We found seawater concentrations of these bacteria to predictably respond to temperature and salinity over chlorophyll a, pheophytin or turbidity. We also inferred from the SEM results that Vibrio concentrations in seawater strongly predict their respective concentrations in oysters. We hypothesize that such seawater-oyster coupling can be observed in regions of low tidal range. Due to the ease of sampling and processing of seawater samples compared to oyster samples, we suggest that under low tidal range conditions, seawater samples can foster increased spatial and temporal coverage and complement data associated with oyster samples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seafood Safety, Quality and Processing Series II)

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