食品中の大腸菌O157 に対するマイクロ波照射の影響

We examined the survival and acid resistance of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 (EHEC O157) in foods irradiated by microwave (2.45 GHz, 700 W, 7 s) with a domestic microwave oven. When the microwave irradiated foods inoculated with the cells at the cell density of 3 x 106 cells/g, the living cell number decreased below 65%. The cells in curry showed the lowest survival ratio (2%) among those in foods examined. Acid resistance of the cells in foods irradiated by the microwave was also effectively reduced below 10% irrespective of foods surveyed. Microwave could prove useful for reducing the living cell number and acid resistance of EHEC O157 in foods.