TABLE 1.
Surviving cell numbers of E. coli NCTC 12900 with respect to treatment and posttreatment storage times
| Posttreatment storage time (h) | Plasma treatment time (min) | Density by mode of plasma exposurea |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct |
Indirect |
||||
| Cell density (log10 CFU/ml) | SD | Cell density (log10 CFU/ml) | SD | ||
| 0 | 0b | 8.0 A | 0.0 | 8.0 A | 0.0 |
| 1 | 7.6 A | 0.1 | 7.3 B | 0.1 | |
| 3 | 4.3 B | 0.1 | 5.7 C | 0.1 | |
| 5 | 2.1 C | 0.7 | ND D | 0.0 | |
| 1 | 0b | 8.0 A | 0.0 | 8.0 A | 0.0 |
| 1 | 7.2 D | 0.1 | 7.1 B | 0.2 | |
| 3 | ND E | 0.0 | ND D | 0.0 | |
| 5 | ND E | 0.0 | ND D | 0.0 | |
| 24 | 0b | 8.0 A | 0.0 | 8.0 A | 0.0 |
| 1 | 5.9 DF | 0.1 | 6.1 BE | 0.8 | |
| 3 | ND E | 0.0 | ND D | 0.0 | |
| 5 | ND E | 0.0 | ND D | 0.0 | |
a
Different letters indicate a significant difference at the P ≤ 0.05 level between different treatment times and posttreatment storage times. ND, under detection limit.
b
Critical controls were provided as untreated samples with 0-, 1-, and 24-h posttreatment storage.