Modeling the risk of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in oysters in Taiwan by considering seasonal variations, time periods, climate change scenarios, and post-harvest interventions

Abstract

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a halophilic gram-negative bacterium commonly found in marine environments, particularly in warm coastal waters. This pathogen has been reported as a common cause of foodborne illness associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood. The presence and density of this bacterium in seafood are often associated with the climatological conditions of the marine environment. Herein, we developed the quantitative risk assessment model for Vibrio parahaemolyticus in oysters in Taiwan by considering seasonal variations, time periods, climate change scenarios, and post-harvest interventions. This study showed that season, time period, shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP), and post-harvest intervention significantly influenced the risk level of becoming ill from consuming oysters. The mean estimates of risk in winter, spring, summer, and fall were estimated to be 9.1 × 10−5, 2.0 × 10−3, 2.0 × 10−2, 6.9 × 10−3 per serving, respectively. Our models predict that, if global temperatures continue to increase in the coming decades due to climate change, the risk per serving of oysters is likely to increase by 18-145% by 2041-2060 and by 18-718% by 2081-2100, depending on the season and SSP. The application of thermal processing or high hydrostatic pressure processing was found to be the most effective approach in reducing risk, even under the threat of increasing global temperatures.