FATE OF FOOD PATHOGENS IN GAS-PACKAGED JACK MACKEREL FILLETS

The occurrence and survival of 4 food pathogens (Escherichia coli, Sta phylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Clostridium perfringe ns) in jack mackerel fillets stored in retail packages containing air, N2(N2 100%), or CO2(CO2 40%/N2 60%) atmosphers was studied during 6 d ays of storage at 5-degrees-C. The normal aerobic spoilage bacterial c ounts were lower in the order of CO2, N2, and air storage in all sampl es. In most of the samples tested, no food pathogens were detected dur ing 6 days storage in any gas atmosphere. In a few cases, these bacter ia were dectected, but they disappeared or decreased in number during the course of the 6-day period of storage in all gas atmosphers. The g rowth and survival of 4 food pathogens artificially inoculated on a st andard method agar medium kept under different gas atmospheres was als o studied. With none of the strains was any growth or apparent differe nce in survival observed at 5-degrees-C in any of the gas atmosphers. It was concluded that the risk of health hazard caused by these food p athogens in fish fillets stored under a CO2 gas atmosphers was minimal when these retail packages were stored under chilled conditions.