https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2023.11103

Evaluating Escherichia coli contamination in bivalve mollusks using the impedance method: a comparison with most probable number analyses and correlation with environmental parameters

Vol. 12 No. 2 (2023)
Submitted: 19 December 2022
Accepted: 16 February 2023
Published: 8 June 2023
Hydrometry, purification phase, µ-trac, MPN, fecal contamination, production area
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Authors

Sarah Currò
Comparative Biomedicine and Nutrition Department, University of Padua, Legnaro, Italy.
Luca Fasolato
Comparative Biomedicine and Nutrition Department, University of Padua, Legnaro, Italy.
Stefania Balzan
stefania.balzan@unipd.it
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3384-7665
Comparative Biomedicine and Nutrition Department, University of Padua, Legnaro, Italy.
Giacomo Biziato
Chemical-Clinical Analysis and Microbiology Laboratory, Alto Adige Health Center, Bolzano, Italy.
Francesco Paesanti
Freelance shellfish biologist, Ferrara, Italy.
Luca Bargelloni
Comparative Biomedicine and Nutrition Department, University of Padua, Legnaro, Italy.
Barbara Cardazzo
Comparative Biomedicine and Nutrition Department, University of Padua, Legnaro, Italy.
Enrico Novelli
Comparative Biomedicine and Nutrition Department, University of Padua, Legnaro, Italy.

The application of an electrochemical (impedance) tool for monitoring Escherichia coli contamination in shellfish was evaluated after 13 months of observation. The primary aim of the present study was to compare the standard most probable number (MPN) and µ-trac 4200 (log imped/100 g) for the assessment of E. coli contamination (log MPN/100 g) in non-depurated bivalve mollusks (BM) from five sampling areas of the Veneto-Emilian coast (Italy) (118 samples). The secondary aim was to evaluate the correlation between E. coli concentrations in BM and environmental factors on a large data set (690). The methods showed a moderate, positive correlation (0.60 and 0.69 Pearson and Spearman coefficients, respectively; P<0.01) in Ruditapes philippinarum. The McNemar test indicated analogous sample classification between methods, and the impedance method overestimated the most contaminated class (P=0.03; >4,600 MPN/100 g). The results highlighted the suitability of the impedance method for a faster evaluation and routine use especially in clams, while in Mytilus it seemed less effective. Different models built by multivariate permutational variance analysis and multinomial logistic regression selected the suitable environmental features able to predict the E. coli load. Overall, salinity and season affected the E. coli contamination, whereas locally it was mainly influenced by hydrometry and salinity. The application of the impedance method coupled with environmental data analysis could help purification phase management to adhere to legal limits and could represent an advantage for local control authorities to define actions, considering extreme meteorological events' effects as a proactive reaction to climate change.

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How to Cite

1.
Currò S, Fasolato L, Balzan S, Biziato G, Paesanti F, Bargelloni L, Cardazzo B, Novelli E. Evaluating <i>Escherichia coli</i> contamination in bivalve mollusks using the impedance method: a comparison with most probable number analyses and correlation with environmental parameters. Ital J Food Safety [Internet]. 2023 Jun. 8 [cited 2024 Dec. 30];12(2). Available from: https://www.pagepressjournals.org/ijfs/article/view/11103
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