Kinetic modeling the survival of Escherichia coli in pickled radish fermentation with different salt concentrations

The survival of Escherichia coli in pickled radish fermentation with salt concentrations from 2% to 10% was studied kinetically. The results showed that mostly E. coli first underwent 1-2 days of growth, followed by a decline and finally died off after 4-5 days of fermentation. A kinetic model was developed to reveal how the growth and survival of E. coli were affected by acid content, pH value and salt concentration during the pickle fermentation. Model-based simulations suggested that moderate salt concentration (4%-9%) resulted in shorter survival period of E. coli. Sensitivity analysis showed that the lowest pH value for E. coli growth played the most important role in determining the peak amount and the survival period of E. coli. This study provides a reference for risk assessment and safe production of pickles and other similar fermented vegetables.