Influence of modified-atmosphere storage on the growth of uninjured and heat-injured Aeromonas hydrophila

The growth of uninjured and heat-injured Aeromonas hydrophila incubated at 5 degrees C (22 days) and 30 degrees C (31 h) under air, N2, and CO2 was investigated. At 30 degrees C, the growth patterns of cells on brain heart infusion agar incubated under air and N2 were similar, although slight differences in the lengths of the lag phases and the final populations were detected. The lag phases of cells incubated under air and N2 were substantially longer at 5 degrees C than at 30 degrees C. The population of uninjured A. hydrophila incubated at 5 degrees C under air and N2 remained constant, whereas the number of injured cells declined before the exponential growth phase. Growth at 5 degrees C was enhanced when uninjured and heat-injured A. hydrophila were incubated under N2. At 30 degrees C, cells incubated under CO2 exhibited noticeably longer lag phases and lower growth rates than did cells incubated under air and N2. The viable populations of uninjured and heat-injured cells incubated at 5 degrees C under CO2 declined steadily throughout incubation.