Abstract:To study the specific spoilage organism (SSO) of vacuum-packed ready-to-eat (RTE) abalone and its spoilage potential. According to the results of previous studies, the selective medium was used to isolate and purify SSO from RTE abalone. Identification of SSO in RTE abalone was done by 16S rDNA technology combined with bacterial biochemical identification methods. Inoculated specific spoilage bacteria into RTE abalones, compared them with natural spoilage abalones, analyzed the changes in the drip loss rate, TVB-N, pH value, total number of colonies, PPO and other physical, chemical and sensory indexes of RTE abalones, and discussed the spoilage causes of melanosis, drip loss, softening, rancidity, etc. The results showed that the SSO of the RTE abalone was Bacillus cereus. The spoilage characteristics of RTE abalone inoculated with Bacillus cereus were more obvious. The degradation rate of drip loss, TVB-N, pH value, total number of colonies, PPO and sensory index were far beyond the natural spoilage of abalone. This shows that the presence of Bacillus cereus will accelerate the deterioration of RTE abalone, and greatly shorten the storage time of RTE abalone. It is necessary to take appropriate sterilization measures against Bacillus cereus.