Identification and Prevalence of Escherichia coli and Escherichia coli O157: H7 in Foods

• Main Authors: Ancuta Mihaela Rotar, Cristina Anamaria Semeniuc, Sorin Apostu, Carmen Pop, Mihaela Duma, Ramona Suharoschi, Larisa Giura
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: AcademicPres 2013-11-01
• Series: Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca: Food Science and Technology
• Online Access: http://journals.usamvcluj.ro/index.php/fst/article/view/9392

The objective of this study is to investigate the incidence of <em>Escherichia coli</em> in animal and non-animal foods, and mainly the incidence of the serotype <em>O157: H7</em> producing verotoxin. The presence of common <em>Escherichia coli</em> and <em>Escherichia coli</em> <em>O157: H7</em> in various foods (of animal and non animal origin) was performed in Transylvania area. We analyzed a total of one hundred forty-one samples of minced meat, one hundred twenty-six samples of meat , twenty six samples of meat products, five samples of alcoholic beverages, three samples of seafood, one hundred samples of cheese from pasteurized milk, seventeen samples of butter, four samples of vegetables and one sample of milk powder, using the standard cultural method and Vidas Eco method for <em>E. coli</em> O157: H7 strains. <em>E. coli</em> was identified in 50 samples of minced meat, 55 samples of meat prepared, 4 samples of meat products, 2 samples of alcoholic beverages, 25 samples of cheese from pasteurized milk, 6 samples of butter and 1 sample of vegetables. In this study were not been identified any foods contaminated with the <em>E. coli O157: H7</em> serotype. The results of this reasearch have demostrated that <em>E. coli</em> wich represents a hygienic indicator of recent food contamination, can be destroyed with heat treatment and hygienic handling of foods. Our country over the years has been among the few countries where the incidence of the <em>E. coli O157: H7</em> serotype has been minimal.