Microbial Flora of Pacific Oysters ( Crassostrea gigas ) Subjected to Ultraviolet-Irradiated Seawater

Abstract

The ability of oysters to purge themselves of microbial contaminants was investigated by identifying the microorganisms retained by oysters after they have been subjected to ultraviolet (UV) light-treated seawater. A UV intensity of 960 μw per min per cm 2 reduced the microbial count of seawater from 263 to 13 per ml. The coliform multitube test (MPN) was reduced from a high of 17 to <0.18 per 100 ml. Over 75% of the microorganisms found in treated seawater were Acinetobacter/Moraxella, Vibrio/Pseudomonas type II, and Flavobacterium/Cytophaga . With the exception of coliforms, the microbial composition of oysters subjected to UV-treated seawater remained at levels comparable to the control oysters held in untreated seawater. Total counts ranged between 10 3 and 10 5 /g. The microorganism most frequently encountered were Flavobacterium/Cytophaga, Vibrio/Pseudomonas type II, Pseudomonas type III or IV, Acinetobacter/Moraxella , gram-positive cocci and Bacillus . Together they comprised over 90% of the flora. Coagulase-positive, deoxyribonuclease-positive, and beta-hemolytic cocci were found in some samples, as were V. parahaemolyticus, V. aliginolyticus , and Aeromonas species.