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Evaluation of Lactic Acid Bacteria for Extending the Shelf Life of Shrimp
The authors are grateful for the technical assistance of Ms. Katrina Benton, Eunice Parks and Brenda Nail. In addition we recognize the vital assistance of Dr. D. Harrington, University of Georgia Marine Extension Service, in obtaining fresh shrimp.
This work was supported in part by the Sea Grant Program, United States Department of Commerce.
ABSTRACT
Forty-four strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were tested for inhibitory activity against three strains of Pseudomonas, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and naturally occurring microflora on fresh deheaded shrimp. Cell-free filtrates and cell suspensions of six strains of LAB were inhibitory to growth of Pseudomonas on agar lawns. Degree of inhibition depended upon medium used for cultivation of LAB prior to testing and the presence or absence of LAB cells on the test lawns. Filtrates were generally more inhibitory than cell suspensions. Certain strains of Streptococcus lactis and Lactobacillus casei inhibited rate of growth of Pseudomonas in broth culture. Neither LAB retarded development of microflora of iced shrimp stored at 5 and 12°C. L. casei may have had an inhibitory effect on rate of growth of V. parahaemolyticus on iced shrimp. Overall, data indicate that treatment of fresh shrimp with LAB to extend shelf life during storage on ice may not be practical.