| Pathogen | min. aw (using salt) |
min. pH | max. pH | max. % water phase salt |
min. temp. | max. temp. | oxygen requirement |
| Bacillus cereus | .92 | 4.3 | 9.3 | 10 | 39.2°F 4°C |
131°F4 55°C |
aerobe |
| Campylobacter jejuni | .987 | 4.9 | 9.5 | 1.5 | 86°F 30°C |
113°F 45°C |
microaerophilic1 |
| Clostridium botulinum, type A, and proteolytic B and F | .935 | 4.6 | 9 | 10 | 50°F 10°C |
118.4°F 48°C |
anaerobe2 |
| Clostridium botulinum, type E, and nonproteolytic B and F | .97 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 37.9°F 3.3°C |
113°F 45°C |
anaerobe2 |
| Clostridium perfringens | .93 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 50°F 10°C |
125.6°F 52°C |
anaerobe2 |
| pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli | .95 | 4 | 9 | 6.5 | 43.7°F 6.5°C |
120.9°F 49.4°C |
facultative anaerobe3 |
| Listeria monocytogenes | .92 | 4.4 | 9.4 | 10 | 31.3°F -0.4°C |
113°F 45.4°C |
facultative anaerobe3 |
| Salmonella spp. | .94 | 3.7 | 9.5 | 8 | 41.4°F 5.2°C |
115.2°F 46.2°C |
facultative anaerobe3 |
| Shigella spp. | .96 | 4.8 | 9.3 | 5.2 | 43°F 6.1°C |
116.8°F 47.1°C |
facultative anaerobe3 |
| Staphylococcus aureus - growth Staphylococcus aureus - toxin |
.83 .85 |
4 4 |
10 9.8 |
20 10 |
44.6°F 7°C 50°F 10°C |
122°F 50°C 118°F 48°C |
facultative anaerobe3 |
| Vibrio cholerae | .97 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 50°F 10°C |
109.4°F 43°C |
facultative anaerobe3 |
| Vibrio parahaemolyticus | .94 | 4.8 | 11 | 10 | 41°F 5°C |
113.5°F 45.3°C |
facultative anaerobe3 |
| Vibrio vulnificus | .96 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 46.4°F 8°C |
109.4°F 43°C |
facultative anaerobe3 |
| Yersinia enterocolitica | .945 | 4.2 | 10 | 7 | 29.7°F -1.3°C |
107.6°F 42°C |
facultative anaerobe3 |
References
FDA. 2001. Table #A-1: Limiting Conditions for Pathogen Growth. Appendix 4. In Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guide, 3rd ed., p. 281. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Office of Seafood, Washington, DC.
Send comments or questions to rjprice@ucdavis.edu