CONTROLLING THE GROWTH OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AND PRODUCTION OF ENTEROTOXIN-B

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Egypt.

2 National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Cairo.

Abstract

Fifty nine samples of milk and dairy products, and forty samples from meat products were studied for their content of S. aureus . 32 Strains of S. aureus were isolated and identified, 8 Strains were found to be enterotoxin-B producers. The highly toxic one was used for further investigation. The effect of thermal treatment at 55, 60, 65 and 70°C for different periods on the viability of S. aureus and productivity of enterotoxin-B was studied. The sublethal thermal treatment stimulated the organism to produce toxin to 800% compared with non treated cells. Low dose (0.5 KGy) of y-radiation increased the strain's productiviry for enterotoxin-B. The strains lost the ability to produce toxin at 1.5 and 1.25 KGy in BHI and minced meat media, respectively. Also, 2% of clove was enough to inactivate the strain, while this concentration of garlic and mint inactivated the toxin production by 87.5% and was insufficient to kill the organism. Water activity (aw) had a great effect on the viability of S. aureus . Decreasing aw also inhibited the toxin production.