BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY AND OCCURRENCE OF VIBRIOS IN DUNGENESS CRABMEAT IN OREGON PROCESSING PLANTS AND MARKETS1

Abstract

Dungeness crabmeat samples from Oregon processors and retail markets were analyzed for Vibrio parahaemolyticus, numbers of fecal streptococci, and aerobic total plate count. Samples were collected from three crab processors during one commercial season from the following points along the processing line: (a) raw, whole crabs; (b) cooked, cooled crabs; (c) picked crabmeat; (d) brined, or brined and inspected crabmeat; and (e) to-be-packed crabmeat. Five of 31 samples of crabmeat from Oregon retail markets and 4 of 75 crabmeat samples from Oregon processors were positive for halophilic vibrios. Positive samples from processors were raw crabmeat and picked crabmeat. Biochemical characteristics of the isolates from only one of these, a raw sample, closely resembled the biochemical characteristics of known V. parahaemolyticus cultures. The remainder of the isolates were other halophilic vibrios. The numbers of fecal streptococci in crabmeat from both processors and retail markets were generally within the guideline of < 1000 organisms per gram of crabmeat. The median aerobic total plate count of 1.2 × 108 organisms per gram for the crabmeat samples from retail markets was above the limit of 100,000 organisms per gram established by New York City and used elsewhere. The median plate count of to-be-packed crabmeat from processors remained within this limit.