title: Application of the Pearl model to analyze fecal coliform data from conditionally approved shellfish harvest areas in seven Texas bays.
abstract: The U.S. National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) 14/43 standard states that conditionally approved shellfish growing areas must be closed for harvest when the geometric mean of fecal coliform concentration exceeds the NSSP limit of 14 most probable number (MPN)/100 mL, or the estimated 90th percentile of fecal coliform concentrations exceeds 43 MPN/100 mL for a five-tube test. The authors hypothesized that the NSSP 14/43 standard is not sufficient to protect the public from risks from consumption of biologically contaminated shellfish and the standard should be modified to 8/26 MPN/100 mL. To verify this hypothesis, the authors analyzed fecal coliform data from conditionally approved shellfish harvest areas of seven Texas bays using the Pearl sanitation model. Results showed that the shellfish closure rules mandated by the Texas Department of State Health Services actually enforced the "Pearl" limits of 8/26 MPN/100 mL, and not the NSSP limit of 14/43 MPN/100 mL.
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
mesh_terms: D017756:Aquaculture; D061006:Bays / Q000382:microbiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005516:Food Microbiology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012758:Shellfish / Q000382:microbiology*; D013781:Texas