Antimicrobial Effects of Vapor Phase Thymol, Modified Atmosphere, and Their Combination against Salmonella spp. on Raw Shrimp. Issue 5 (9th April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhou, Siyuan; Sheen, Shiowshuh; Pang, Yu‐Hsin; Liu, LinShu; Yam, Kit L.
• Is Part Of: Journal of food science. Volume 78:Issue 5(2013)
• Page Start: M725
• Page End: M730
• Publication Date: 2013-04-09
• Subjects: Food -- Periodicals; Food -- Research -- Periodicals; Food -- Periodicals; Research -- Periodicals; Levensmiddelen; Voeding; 664
• DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.12098
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1147

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Salmonella</italic> contamination on raw shrimp is a big food safety concern in the United States currently. This research evaluated the inhibition effects of vapor phase thymol, modified atmosphere (MA), and their combination against <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp. on raw shrimp. Growth profiles of a <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp. cocktail (6 strains), inoculated onto the surface of raw shrimp, treated with vapor phase thymol at 3 levels (0, 0.8, and 1.6 mg/L), or MA (59.5% CO<sub>2</sub> + 39.5% N<sub>2</sub> + 1% O<sub>2</sub>), both alone and in combination, at 3 temperatures (8, 12, and 16 ºC), were determined. Lag time and maximum growth rate of <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp. under each treatment were obtained using Baranyi and Roberts models. Results indicated that both vapor phase thymol and MA treatments alone inhibited the growth potential of <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp. effectively, extending the lag time by 10% to 100% and reducing the maximum growth rate by 14% to 71% compared with controlled samples at experimental temperatures (8, 12, and 16 ºC). Combination treatments of vapor phase thymol and MA exhibited greater inhibition effectiveness than each individual treatment and a synergistic antimicrobial effectiveness could be observed on the lag time extension. To the maximum, at 12 ºC, lag time of <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp. was extended 59.6% more by the combination treatment of 0.8 mg/L thymol + MA (36.97 h) than those effects combined from 0.8 mg/L thymol treatment and MA treatment alone (23.16 h in total). This combination strategy could be potentially utilized for <italic>Salmonella</italic> inhibition during the long distance and temperature‐abused raw shrimp import process.</p> <p> <bold>Practical Application</bold> The vapor phase thymol + MA combination strategy could be potentially applied in temperature‐abused and long‐distance raw shrimp import process to retard the <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp. growth, therefore reducing its import rejection rate as well as enhancing its food safety level to the consumers' concerns.</p> </abstract>