Fate of selected food-borne pathogens during the fermentation of squid shiokara

Shiokara, a traditional fermented seafood in Japan, has never been reported to cause bacterial food poisoning. In this study, shiokara products were i noculated with Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Clostrid ium botulinum type E and the fates of these pathogens were determined durin g the fermentation of squid shiokara. V. parahaemolyticus declined rapidly and was not detectable after 12 days of fermentation. When shiokara was ino culated with mixtures of vegetative cells and spores of C. botulinum type E , the number of vegetative cells declined rapidly within 2 days, though the viable spores remained. S. aureus survived but did not grow or produce ent erotoxin during the fermentation. These results confirmed the safety of tra ditional shiokara with respect to bacterial food hygiene. However, strict c ontrol of contamination by S. aureus throughout the manufacturing process i s necessary, because the organism remained viable during fermentation.