title: MICROBIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF LETTUCE SALADS AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS SPP.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  self-service restaurants in which food is served ready to be consumed are liable to have some products contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms causing food-transmitted diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  evaluates the microbiological quality of lettuce salads in restaurants in Pelotas RS Brazil by counts of thermo-tolerant coliforms, E. coli, Staphylococcus spp. and detection of Salmonella spp. Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus spp. isolates are also assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  thirty-six samples of lettuce salads were collected from nine restaurants and thermotolerant coliforms, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus spp. were quantified, coupled to a research on Salmonella spp., following methodology by the Bacteriological Analytical Manual. Staphylococcus spp. isolates underwent antimicrobial resistance test by the disc-diffusion method.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  results showed that 61.1% of the salad samples contained more thermotolerant coliforms than allowed by Brazilian legislation and E. coli was confirmed in 5.6% of the samples. Positive and negative coagulase Staphylococcus occurred respectively in 5.6% and 77.8% of isolates, but no sample had Salmonella spp. Further, 56.7% of the thirty isolates of Staphylococcus spp. tested were resistant to penicillin; 46.7% to oxacillin; 26.7% to erythromycin and 23.3% were multi- resistant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  inadequate quality of the salad was due to pathogenic microorganisms, while Staphylococcus spp. isolates had a high percentage of antimicrobial resistance.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Posgrado en Nutrición y Alimentos, Universidad Federal de Pelotas, Facultad de Nutrición, Campus Porto, Pelotas, RS.. josigcesar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Josi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guimarães César
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrición, Universidad Federal de Pelotas, Facultad de Nutrición, Campus Porto, Pelotas, RS.. josigcesar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andriele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Madruga Peres
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrición, Universidad Federal de Pelotas, Facultad de Nutrición, Campus Porto, Pelotas, RS.. josigcesar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pereira das Neves
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrición, Universidad Federal de Pelotas, Facultad de Nutrición, Campus Porto, Pelotas, RS.. josigcesar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Érica
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Tupiniquim Freitas de Abreu
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrición, Universidad Federal de Pelotas, Facultad de Nutrición, Campus Porto, Pelotas, RS.. josigcesar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jozi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fagundes de Mello
authors.affiliation: Programa de Posgrado en Nutrición y Alimentos, Universidad Federal de Pelotas, Facultad de Nutrición, Campus Porto, Pelotas, RS. Departamento de Nutrición, Universidad Federal de Pelotas, Facultad de Nutrición, Campus Porto, Pelotas, RS. Programa de Posgrado en Biotecnología, Centro de Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad Federal de Pelotas, Campus Capão do Leão, Pelotas, RS, Brasil.. josigcesar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ângela
authors.initials: Â
authors.lastname: Nunes Moreira
authors.affiliation: Programa de Posgrado en Nutrición y Alimentos, Universidad Federal de Pelotas, Facultad de Nutrición, Campus Porto, Pelotas, RS. Departamento de Nutrición, Universidad Federal de Pelotas, Facultad de Nutrición, Campus Porto, Pelotas, RS.. lameiro_78@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lameiro Rodrigues
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058491:Bacterial Load; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli; D005516:Food Microbiology; D018545:Lactuca / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents