The VBNC cell wall and membrane differ from normal cells, which could be a manifestation of the physiological state associated with maintaining viability. An increase in the percentage of short and long chain fatty acids and a reduction in the main membrane lipid content (C16, C16:1, C18) were observed in VBNC cells of Vibrio vulnificus by Linder K (Linder and Oliver, 1989). These results show that changes in fatty acids play an important role in the protection of cell membrane fluidity during environmental stress. In terms of proteins, an obvious reduction in membrane protein (6.3 kDa) was observed in VBNC Staphylococcus aureus (Trudeau et al., 2012). Moreover, after entering the VBNC state, the structure of the peptide in the cell wall displayed relatively large changes, and Signoretto et al. (2002) also discovered that peptidoglycan DAP–DAP cross-linking in VBNC cells of E. coli increased more than three times. These findings indicate that the ability of VBNC cells to resist external mechanical damage is greatly improved.