Survival study of pathogenic microorganisms inoculated in sugar samples

NÚÑEZ CAROLINA; GUSILS CARLOS; RUIZ MARCELO; CÁRDENAS GERÓNIMO

BIOCELL

Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos". CONICET

Lugar: Mendoza; Año: 2008 vol. 32 p. 93 - 93

0327-9545

Sugar intrinsic physicochemical characteristics, mainly its low water activity, constrain microorganism development. However, if industrial processing and subsequent storage conditions are not adequate, microbiological contamination is likely to occur. The objetive of this work was to study the survival of pathogenic microorganisms Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Enteritidis inoculated into refined sugar samples, simulating exogenous pollution. Concentration of inoculated samples ranged from 107 to 109 CFU/10g. Samples were stored for 90 days at environmental conditions similar to the ones in industrial warehouses. Trials had three replicates and the count of pathogenic microorganisms was carried out regularly using methodologies (counting techniques, enrichments, inmunochromatography) tested by international agencies (FDA-BAM, AOAC). The study of the survival kinetics of inoculated microorganisms revealed that S. Enteritidis and E. coli died faster than St. aureus. S. Enteritidis was detected up to 9 days and E. coli up to 15 days after inoculation, whereas St. aureus could still be found 60 days after it