Disinfection of Sparus aurata eggs with glutaraldehyde

This study was conducted to determine suitable conditions fordisinfecting eggs of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata)with glutaraldehyde. Effects of the developmental stage (4–8 cells,morula, blastopore closure or heart beating), of the concentration (C = 200,300or 400 ppm) and of the duration of the glutaraldehyde treatment (T= 2 to 10 min) were investigated. Before the blastopore closurestage, egg manipulation and treatment induced mortality. After this stage, thetoxicity of the glutaraldehyde treatment was negligible if the value of theproduct C × T was less than 1000. Above this value, the percentage ofhatching and of normal larvae decreased and the percentage of imprisoned larvaeincreased. Toxic effects of glutaraldehyde varied according to the egg qualityat the time of the treatment. It was concluded that 200 ppmglutaraldehyde for 4 min, at the blastopore closure stage or attheheart beating stage, were acceptable conditions for disinfecting gilthead seabream eggs at 18 °C.