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Application and validation of techniques for the detection of pathogens in shellfish

Project Code: B04008

01/02/2011

University of Aberdeen
Ogden, I

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have recently developed a new and easily implemented method to detect and enumerate vibrio organisms in shellfish and this study investigated its suitability for testing a range of UK shellfish.

Current methods for C. Parvum and E. Coli 0157 have improved and were also applied to Uk shellfish. A 12 month survey investigating the prevalence of E. Coli 0157 in UK grown shellfish was performed using the optimum isolation method defined earlier in the study. Experimental depuration tanks wereestablished to investigate the effects on numbers of V. parahaemolyticus, C. Parvum and Campylobacter in shellfish.

We establshed optimum methods to detect V. parahaemolyticus, C. Parvum and Campylobacter in UK shellfish. Their respective detection thresholds were 100/g, 10 oocysts/g, and 5/g of shelfish flesh, (calculated in a previous study, Omisakin et. al, 2003).

The survey revealed no E. Coli 0157 in 236 UK shellfish samples tested by the optimum IMS method. Depuration for 42 h is effective at reducing V. parahaemolyticus 100-fold, but it is ineffective for C. Parvum while studies on Campylobacter require further verification.

Final report

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