Enterotoxigenic potential of Staphylococcus spp. isolates recovered from raw milk and artisanal cheese

Abstract

In this work, we investigated the phenotypic profile of Staphylococcus spp. isolates recovered from raw milk and artisanal cheese, and their enterotoxigenic potential through the detection of classical enterotoxin genes (sea, seb, sec, sed and see). A total of 104 isolates (58 coagulase-positive Staphylococcus-CoPS; and 46 coagulasenegative Staphylococcus-CoNS) were used, of which 33 were retrieved from raw milk and 71 from artisanal cheese produced in the Serrana region of Santa Catarina. Identification of CoPS was conducted via biochemical tests. Detection of the genes sea, seb, sec, sed, and see was carried out by multiplex PCR technique. Among the 58 CoPS analyzed, 64% were identified as S. aureus, 22% as S. scheiferi coagulans, 12% as S. hyicus and as 2% S. intermedius. In the present study was noted that 40% of CoPS isolates retrieved from milk harbored seb gene, while only one from artisanal cheese was positive for gene sea. In this study all CoNS samples investigated were negative for enterotoxins genes. The enterotoxigenic potential of CoPS, is an issue of great importance for public health. For that reason, it is necessary that cheese factories strictly follow the safety processes involved in manufacturing.

Artisanal Brazilian Cheeses—History, Marketing, Technological and Microbiological Aspects

“…Staphylococci contaminations are probably the most frequent problem regarding artisanal cheeses [32,47,[73][74][75][76][77]. It is usually associated with the contaminations from the animals' skin or employees directly involved in the milking process, or even the manipulation during cheese-making.…”

“…Grecelle et al [74] identified eleven different species of Staphylococcus present in the colonial cheese, with the predominant presence of S. aureus, recovered from different stages of the milk handling and cheese production process; this indicates serious hygienic issues to be addressed in that facility. Melo et al [77] reported 58 coagulase-positive Staphylococcus and 46 coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, of which 33 were retrieved from raw milk and 71 from artisanal cheese produced in the Serrana area in the state of Santa Catarina. Among the 58 coagulase-positive Staphylococcus, the predominant ones were S. aureus (64%), S. scheiferi subsp.…”