Capacitance method to determine the microbiological quality of raw shrimp (Penaeus setiferus)

The Bactometer monitoring system was used to determine the correlation between capacitance detection times and mesophilic and psychrotrophic plate counts of raw shrimp. Current methodologies to determine shrimp quality have problems with real-time analysis, which necessitates the need for development of more rapid, accurate, and “user-friendly” methods. Fresh raw shrimp were subjected to simulated retail display conditions at 5°C. The shrimp were sampled daily for one week for aerobic (APC) and psychrotrophic (PPC) plate counts and for Bactometer capacitance detection times. Capacitance detection times were highly correlated with APC (linear regression R=−0.91; polynomial regression R=−0.95) and PPC (linear regression R=−0.89; polynomial regression R=−0.95). This study suggests that capacitance detection times can be used as a rapid alternative method to measure shrimp microbial counts.