Abstract
Consumption of seafood, such as pink shrimp, contaminated by V. parahaemolyticus can cause acute gastroenteritis. The objective this study was to verify the ability of V. parahaemolyticus isolated from shrimp from Lagoa dos Patos estuary to form biofilm after exposure to different types of sublethal stress. To obtain the samples, 12 collections of Farfantepenaeus paulensis were carried out during the 2016 harvest period. The samples were analyzed for the presence of V. parahaemolyticus. The strains were evaluated for biofilm production capacity on microtiter plates, both before and after being submitted to different types of sublethal stress. V. parahaemolyticus was isolated from 16.66% (2/12) of the samples. One of the two isolated strains was able to form biofilm, being classified as weak biofilm-forming; the other one was classified as non-biofilm-forming. None of the strains altered their ability to form biofilm when subjected to the stresses of 4 °C and 20 °C; however, regarding the stresses of 42 °C and pH acid, each strain responded differently.
Keywords:
Contamination; foodborne illness; pink shrimp