Improving microbial food safety of sous vide fish by combining with irradiation

Sous vide is widely used in the ready-to-eat (RTE) food industry; however, pathogen survival remains a food safety concern. This study assessed the survival risk of pathogens in sous vide mackerel and the efficacy of irradiation in ensuring safety. Mackerel fillets were inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, or Bacillus cereus. Samples underwent sous vide treatment (70 °C for 10 min) followed by irradiation (3 kGy). The sous vide process completely inhibited S. Enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7 (>6 log cfu/g reduction) and L. monocytogenes (>5 log cfu/g reduction) but only reduced B. cereus by 1.72 log cfu/g without complete inhibition. Irradiation (3 kGy) eliminated the remaining B. cereus (2.2 log cfu/g), demonstrating its importance as a complementary step for microbial safety in sous vide products. Combining sous vide with irradiation appears to be a promising strategy to prevent foodborne diseases and enhance food safety. For industrial adoption, further research on the effects of irradiation on various sous vide foods is needed. This integrated approach strengthens food safety (SDG 3), fosters innovation in food processing (SDG 9), and supports sustainable production and consumption (SDG 12).