title: In vitro assessment of properties associated with the survival through the gastro-intestinal tract of staphylococci isolated from traditional sausage fermentation.
abstract: Thirteen Staphylococcus sp. strains, previously isolated from spontaneous sausage fermentation, were in vitro examined for properties associated with their ability to survive through the gastro-intestinal tract. None of the strains were able to survive exposure to pH 1 or pH 2, while for most of them, a population reduction, ranging from 77.3% to 99.0% and a surviving population from 1.7 x 10(8) to 9.0 x 10(6) was observed after exposure to pH 3. None of the strains exhibited bile salt hydrolase activity or production of antimicrobial compounds, while all of them were resistant to pancreatin. Only S. cohnii cohnii LQC 5112 was found to be alpha-haemolytic, seven other strains were beta-haemolytic and the rest gamma-haemolytic. All strains were sensitive to erythromycin, ampicillin (but S. intermedius LQC 5023) and chloramphenicol while most of them were sensitive to tetracycline. On the other hand, most of the strains were resistant to novobiocin. Furthermore, their aptitude, not only to withstand, but to proliferate in the presence of bile salts, as well, even at an acidic environment and their ability to adhere to stainless-steel plates, indicate the need for an in vivo study.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Quality Control and Hygiene, Department of Food Science and Technology, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, GR-11855 Athens, Greece. sdp@aua.gr
authors.forename: Spiros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paramithiotis
authors.forename: Ioulita
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Melissari
authors.forename: Eleftherios H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Drosinos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005285:Fermentation; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013193:Stainless Steel; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D013193:Stainless Steel