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Incidence and identification of mesophilic Aeromonas spp. from retail foods

K Neyts1, G Huys, M Uyttendaele

  • 1Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Food Preservation, University of Ghent, Belgium. kristien.neyts@rug.ac.be

Letters in Applied Microbiology
|November 9, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Mesophilic Aeromonas species were found in 26% of vegetables, 70% of meat/poultry, and 72% of fish/shrimp. Potentially pathogenic Aeromonas strains (HG4, HG8) were identified in retail foods, suggesting a risk for foodborne gastroenteritis.

Area of Science:

  • Food microbiology
  • Bacteriology
  • Public health

Background:

  • Mesophilic Aeromonas species are ubiquitous in the environment and frequently found in various foods.
  • Certain Aeromonas species and strains are associated with gastrointestinal illnesses in humans.
  • Understanding the prevalence and types of Aeromonas in retail foods is crucial for assessing public health risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence and quantify mesophilic Aeromonas species in different food categories.
  • To identify Aeromonas isolates to the species or genomic level using Gas-Liquid Chromatography (GLC) analysis of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAMEs).
  • To assess the potential public health implications of isolating potentially virulent Aeromonas strains from retail foods.

Main Methods:

  • Qualitative and quantitative analysis of mesophilic Aeromonas in 68 food samples (vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, shrimps).
  • Isolation and enumeration of motile aeromonads.
  • Gas-Liquid Chromatography (GLC) analysis of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAMEs) for identification of Aeromonas strains.
  • Classification of isolates into fenospecies or genomic species, including potentially virulent taxa.

Main Results:

  • Aeromonads were detected in 26% of vegetable samples, 70% of meat and poultry samples, and 72% of fish and shrimp samples.
  • Motile aeromonad counts ranged from less than 10(2) to over 10(5) colony-forming units per gram (cfu g(-1)).
  • Potentially pathogenic Aeromonas strains, including Aer. caviae complex (HG4) and Aer. veronii biovar sobria (HG8), were isolated from various food types, while Aer. hydrophila complex strains (HG3) were found to be non-virulent.

Conclusions:

  • Retail foods, including vegetables, meat, poultry, and fish, harbor mesophilic Aeromonas species.
  • The presence of potentially virulent Aeromonas strains (HG4 and HG8) in these foods indicates their potential role as vehicles for foodborne Aeromonas gastroenteritis.
  • Further research is needed to define the exact significance of Aeromonas in food safety and to implement effective control measures.

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