Abstract:

Escherichia coli is generally used as the health-indicator bacterium in microorganism detection of bottled water. However, when induced by low temperature or Cu2 +, Escherichia coli can enter the viable but non-culturable state and not be detected by the general detecting culture medium. Staphylococcus aureus, a gram-positive pathogenic bacterium, is also found the existence of viable but non-culturable state. Therefore, these bacteria in this state will be escaped only using the present microorganism detecting way. In the resuscitation experiment of the present study, it was found that catalase and Tween 20 could excite the culturable ability of the two species of bacteria from the viable but non-culturable state in a short time.

Key words: viable but non-culturable state, bottled water, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, catalase