Conditions for a 5-log reduction of Vibrio vulnificus in oysters through high hydrostatic pressure treatment

Vibrio vulnificus is frequently associated with oysters, and since oysters are typically consumed raw on a half shell, they can pose a threat to public health due to ingestion of this pathogenic marine microorganism. Oysters should be processed to reduce the number of this pathogen. High pressure processing is gaining more and more acceptance among oyster processors due to its ability to shuck oysters while keeping the fresh-like characteristics of oysters. Nine strains of V. vulnificus were tested for their sensitivities to high pressure. The most pressure-resistant strain of V. vulnificus, MLT 403, was selected and used in the subsequent experiments to represent a worst case scenario for evaluation of the processing parameters for inactivation of V. vulnificus in oysters. To evaluate the effect of temperature on pressure inactivation of V. vulnificus, oyster meats were inoculated with V. vulnificus MLT 403 and incubated at room temperature for 24 h. Oyster meats were then blended and treated at 150 MPa for 4 min, and 200 MPa for 1 min. Pressure treatments were carried out at − 2, 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 45 °C. Cold temperatures (< 20 °C) and slightly elevated temperatures (> 30 °C) substantially increased pressure inactivation of V. vulnificus. For example, a 4-min treatment of 150 MPa at − 2 and 40 °C reduced the counts of V. vulnificus by 4.7 and 2.8 log, respectively, while at 20 °C the same treatment only reduced counts by 0.5 log. Temperatures of − 2 and 1 °C were used to determine the effect of pressure level, temperature, and treatment time on the inactivation of V. vulnificus infected to live oysters through feeding. To achieve a > 5-log reduction in the counts of V. vulnificus in a relatively short treatment time (≤ 4 min), pressure treatment needs to be conducted at pressure levels of ≥ 250 MPa at − 2 or 1 °C.