Model for aerobic growth of Shigella flexneri under various conditions of temperature, pH, sodium chloride and sodium nitrite concentrations

Abstract

A modified factorial design was used to measure the effects and interactions of temperature (10 to 37°C), pH (5.5 to 7.5), sodium chloride (0.5 to 5.0%), and sodium nitrite (0 to 1000 ppm) on the aerobic growth kinetics of Shigella flexneri in brain heart infusion broth. A total of 592 cultures were analyzed, with growth curves being generated using the Gompertz equation. A quadratic model for growth of S. flexneri in terms of temperature, pH, sodium chloride, and sodium nitrite concentrations was obtained by response surface analysis. This model provides an estimate of bacterial growth in response to any combination of the variables studied within the specified ranges. Estimates obtained with the model compared favorably with growth of S. flexneri in milk.