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Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus Growth in Laboratory Media of Water Activity Adjusted with Polyethylene Glycols
Author(s) -
VAAMONDE G.,
CHIRIFE J.,
SCARMATO G.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1984.tb13734.x
Subject(s) - peg ratio , polyethylene glycol , staphylococcus aureus , water activity , chemistry , polyethylene , peg 400 , strain (injury) , food science , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , bacteria , biology , organic chemistry , water content , geotechnical engineering , finance , anatomy , engineering , economics , genetics
Present work studied the growth behavior at 30°C of Staphylococcus aureus strains ATCC 6538 P, C‐243 and S‐6 in laboratory media with water activity (a w ) adjusted by addition of polyethylene glycol 200 (PEG‐200) or polyethylene glycol‐400 (PEG‐400). No growth of strains ATCC 6538 P and S‐6 was observed in any of the polyethylene glycols (PEG‐200 or PEG‐400) at or below a w about 0.93. Strain C‐243, however, showed slow growth in PEG‐400 at a w = 0.93 although was inhibited at a w = 0.92; in the case of PEG‐200 growth inhibition of this strain was observed at a w = 0.93. All strains showed good growth (either in PEG‐200 or PEG‐400) at a w = 0.96. The results confirm that PEG‐200 and PEG‐400 have a bactericidal effect on S. aureus cells that cannot be solely explained in terms of lowering of a w .