A Rapid Test to Detect ST-producing Escherichia coli in Food

Pasteurized milk, liquid egg, minced meat, and various salads were artificially contaminated with varying numbers of cells from six Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) strains able to produce heat-stable enterotoxins (ST). The ST-producing E. coli were detected by the following procedure within 24 h without isolation by cultivation. After enrichment of the food sample in GN broth (4 h at 37°C), the material was transferred to brain heart infusion broth, incubated (16-18 h at 37°C), centrifuged (20 min, 7000 g) and heated to 80°C for 10 min, the supernatant was tested with the infant mouse test. The sensitivity (= ratio of detectable E. coli per total microbial numbers in the food sample) of the test procedure was high even in many food samples with a considerable competitive microbial flora. The procedure was used to test 419 routine food samples. Enterotoxigenic bacteria were found in 7 samples of liquid egg and 4 samples of salad. The test is recommended as a rapid screening test in food control.