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Isolation and characterization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli from precooked sausages (morcillas)

Juan M Oteiza1, Isabel Chinen, Elizabeth Miliwebsky

  • 1Center for Research and Development of Food Cryotechnology (CIDCA), National University of La Plata, Faculty of Sciences, Calle 47 y 116, (1900) La Plata, Argentina. jmoteiza@cidca.org.ar

Food Microbiology
|September 1, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Microbiological analysis of Argentine morcillas revealed high bacterial counts and the presence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). These findings indicate potential food safety risks, advising thorough cooking of morcillas to ensure consumer safety.

Area of Science:

  • Food microbiology
  • Food safety
  • Microbial analysis of meat products

Background:

  • Morcillas, traditional Argentine sausages, are a popular food item.
  • Assessing the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat meat products is crucial for public health.
  • Previous studies have highlighted the need for stringent hygiene in sausage production.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the microbiological quality of Argentine morcillas.
  • To detect the presence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in morcilla samples.
  • To evaluate the food safety implications of the identified microbial contaminants.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 100 morcilla samples collected between October 2001 and October 2002.
  • Enumeration of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, molds, and yeasts.
  • Detection of Enterobacteriaceae and fecal coliforms.
  • Isolation and characterization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains.

Main Results:

  • High levels of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, molds, and yeasts were found in several samples.
  • Enterobacteriaceae were present in 100% of samples, and fecal coliforms in 81%.
  • Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains were isolated from 3% of the samples, including E. coli O157:H7 and E. coli O26:H11.

Conclusions:

  • The high microbial loads and presence of STEC indicate inadequate thermal processing and hygiene during morcilla production.
  • Morcillas harbor significant microbiological risks, particularly from STEC.
  • Thorough cooking is essential to mitigate the risk of consuming unsafe morcillas.

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