Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria
Published on: May 8, 2013
Determination of enterotoxigenic and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in ice cream
Ali Gücükoğlu1, Özgür Çadirci, Göknur Terzi
1Dept. of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs Univ., Kurupelit/Samsun, Turkey. aligucuk77@hotmail.com
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of enterotoxigenic and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in ice creams. After culture-based identification of isolates, the presence of 16S rRNA and nuc was confirmed by mPCR. S. aureus was identified in 18 of 56 fruity (32.1%), 4 of 32 vanilla (12.5%), and 1 of 12 chocolate (8.3%) ice creams. S. aureus was identified as 38 isolates in 23 ice cream samples by culture-based techniques, but only 35 isolates were confirmed by PCR as S. aureus. To determine the enterotoxigenic properties of PCR-confirmed S. aureus isolates, a toxin detection kit was used (SET RPLA®). Of the 12 enterotoxigenic S. aureus isolates, 9 SEB (75%), 1 SED (8.3%), 1 SEB+SED (8.3%), and 1 SEA+SEB+SED (8.3%) expressing isolates were found. The presence of enterotoxin genes (sea, seb, sed) was identified in 13 (37.1%) out of 35 isolates by the mPCR technique. In the ice cream isolates, the sea, seb, and sed genes were detected: 1 sea (7.6%), 9 seb (69.2%), 1 sed (7.6%), 1 seb+sed (7.6%), and 1 sea+seb+sed (7.6%), respectively. The sec gene was not detected in any of these isolates. One of the 35 (2.8%) S. aureus strain was mecA positive.
Insights
Enterotoxigenic and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were found in ice cream. Most S. aureus isolates were enterotoxigenic, with Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B being the most common toxin detected.
Area of Science:
- Food Microbiology
- Bacteriology
- Public Health
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogen that can contaminate food products.
- Enterotoxigenic strains of S. aureus produce toxins that can cause food poisoning.
- Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) poses a significant public health threat due to antibiotic resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of enterotoxigenic and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in ice cream samples.
- To identify the specific enterotoxins produced by S. aureus isolates from ice cream.
- To assess the presence of the mecA gene, indicative of methicillin resistance.
Main Methods:
- Ice cream samples were cultured for S. aureus identification.
- Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (mPCR) was used to confirm S. aureus and detect enterotoxin genes (sea, seb, sec, sed).
- A toxin detection kit (SET-RPLA®) identified enterotoxigenic properties, and the mecA gene was screened for MRSA.
Main Results:
- S. aureus was detected in 32.1% of fruity, 12.5% of vanilla, and 8.3% of chocolate ice creams.
- Of the confirmed S. aureus isolates, 37.1% harbored enterotoxin genes (sea, seb, sed).
- Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B (SEB) was the most prevalent toxin, found in 75% of enterotoxigenic isolates. One isolate (2.8%) was mecA positive, indicating MRSA.
Conclusions:
- Ice cream can be a vehicle for the transmission of enterotoxigenic S. aureus.
- The presence of SEB in ice cream poses a risk of staphylococcal food poisoning.
- While MRSA was detected at a low prevalence, its presence highlights the need for strict hygiene control in ice cream production.
