Effect of prestorage treatmlents and storage conditions on the survival of Salmonella enteritidis PT4 and Listeria monocytogenes on fresh marine and freshwater aquaaculture fish.

The effect of prestorage treatments, such as immersion in a sorbate solution (5%, wt/vol), heating (60 degrees C, 1 min), and a combination of the two treatments, and the subsequent storage in air or under modified atmosphere packaging (MAP; 40% CO2, 30% O2, and 30% N2) at chill temperatures (0 +/- 1 degrees C), on Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 was studied. The prestorage treatments affected the pathogenic bacteria, and in all cases, there was a decrease in their population, with the sorbate and combination (hot water and sorbate) treatment being most effective. The beneficial effect of the prestorage treatments, which was more pronounced in storage under MAP conditions, suggests an interaction of the treatments with the CO2 of MAP against injured bacterial cells.