We investigated the effect of time, temperature, and the presence of sodium chloride, nitrates, and nitrites in the medium on the growth and production of enterotoxin B by Staphylococcus aureus. Assays by the double gel-diffusion method showed that m enterotoxin B production occurs at the beginning of the stationary phase of growth. Lowering the tanperature of incubation decreased the amount of toxin produced without affecting the total amount of growth. Increases in concentration of curing salts reduced toxin production more rapidly than cell growth. The relationship of these observations to food-poisoning outbreaks is briefly discussed.
With oxidized methyl oleate as the substrate, a rapid method for the determination of microbial destruction of peroxides and monocarbonyls has been developed. Staphylococcus aureus showed extensive destruction of peroxides by both cells and supernatant fluid, while Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus cryophilus, Serratia marcescens, and Sarcina lutea had activity only in the cells. Escherichia coli was inactive. Destruction of 2,4-dienals, 2-enals, and n-alkanals followed a similar pattern except that E. coli cells also were active against the monocarbonyl classes. Paper chromatography did not reveal any selective action against specific monocarbonyls within the classes.
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