Abstract: Objective: To provide experimental references for the application of acidic electrolyzed water in the preservation of shrimp. Methods: Shrimps were treated by acidic electrolyzed water under varying treatment conditions, such as treatment at room temperature (20 ℃) for 1 or 5 min, treatment for 5 min at 20 or 50 ℃, and treatment at 20 ℃ by using acidic electrolyzed water or 2% acetic acid. Plate culture method combined with PCR-DGGE was applied to monitor the bactericidal efficacy of acidic electrolyzed water on shrimp. Results: Treatment with acidic electrolyzed water at 50 ℃could result in bacterial reduction by 1.44 lg(CFU/g) in shrimp, while other treatments could result in bacteria reduction by less than 1.0 lg(CFU/g) in shrimp. No significant difference in different treatment time was observed; however, 2% acetic acid and acidic electrolyzed water at 50 ℃ were significantly higher than acidic electrolyzed water at room temperature (P＜0.05). PCR-DGGE fingerprinting demonstrated that acidic electrolyzed water at 50 ℃ did not reduce bacterial species in shrimp, and other treatments could reduce bacterial species in shrimp at different levels. The DGGE fingerprinting profile after treatment for 1 min was very similar with the control but the DGGE fingerprinting of acidic electrolyzed water treatment at 50 ℃ was not similar with the control at medium level. Conclusion: Acidic electrolyzed water treatment at 50 ℃ has good bactericidal effect on shrimp; PCR-DGGE technique can be used to monitor the effect of acidic electrolyzed water on bacteria in shrimp.

Key words: acidic electrolyzed water, shrimp, DGGE, bactericidal efficacy, cluster analysis