Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess bacteriological hazards in the following 7 kinds of minimally processed shellfish products purchased from Korean seafood retail outlets: raw oysters stored with seawater in polyethylene bags, frozen oysters, raw mussels, frozen mussels, boiled mussels, raw short-necked clam, and frozen short-necked clams, obtained from Korean seafood retail outlets. The total coliform and Escherichia coli counts determined in all samples were detected below regulation limit of the Korean government guidelines (Food Code). In addition, the high-risk bacterial pathogens, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and E. coli O157:H7 were not detected in any samples. Low-risk pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus were detected at levels above $1.0{\times}10^2$ colony forming unit (CFU)/g in some minimally processed shellfish products. Notably, S. aureus was detected in all samples. Raw oysters stored with seawater in polyethylene bags, frozen oysters, and boiled blue mussels are commonly ingested without heating, and therefore these minimally processed shellfish products pose bacteriological hazards. The detection of S. aureus in all shellfish products, an organism indicative of poor personal hygiene, which can grow and multiply during distribution, indicates the necessity of improving the food safety of minimally processed shellfish products.
