Evaluación del efecto del cultivo probiótico Lactobacillus rhamnosus adicionado a yogurt natural y con probi6ticos comerciales sobre poblaciones de Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157: H7, Listeria monocytogenes y Salmonella enteritidis / Evaluation of the effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus probiotic culture added to yogurt over Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157: H7, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enteritidis populations

Se evaluó el efecto de diferentes tipos de cultivos probióticos en yogurt sobre poblaciones conocidas de Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes y Salmonella enteritidis. Los tres tipos diferentes de yogurt comercial utilizados fueron: sin probióticos adicionados, con probióticos CHR HANSEN® (Lactobacillus casei CRL_431 y L. acidophilus CRL_730) y otro con los mismos probióticos mencionados anteriormente, adicionado con cultivo de Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LR-35). Se inoculó aproximadamente 109 UFC/mL de cada bacteria potencialmente patógena en los diferentes tipos de yogurt, se mantuvo en refrigeración a 4ºC durante la vida útil de cada uno de estos alimentos (aproximadamente 30 días) y se realizó un recuento bacteriano cada cuatro días incluyendo el mismo día de la inoculación. Los resultados obtenidos demuestran que, existe diferencia en cuanto a inhibición entre los yogures sin probióticos y el yogurt comercial con probióticos, observándose un efecto inhibitorio evidente, por parte del segundo sobre las poblaciones de S. aureus, E. coli O157:H7 y L. monocytogenes. Con respecto a los yogures comerciales con probióticos más L. rhamnosus, no se observó alguna diferencia con respecto al efecto inhibitorio que poseen los yogures con probióticos L. casei y L. acidophilus . En los yogures en que se evaluó S. enteritidis se obtuvo la muerte de ésta al cabo de cuatro días. El presente estudio confirma el efecto antagónico que poseen los cultivos probióticos sobre bacterias potencialmente patógenas para el ser humano y animales que pueden estar contenidas en los alimentos.No obstante, el uso del probiótico Lactobacillus rhamnosus no ejerce un efecto inhibitorio adicional.

The effect of different types of probiotics present in yogurt over known populations of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enteritidis was evaluated. The three types of yogurt used were: without added probiotics, with added probiotics (Lactobacillus casei CRL_431 and L. acidophilus CRL_730 CHR HANSEN®) and another one with the same probiotics mentioned above and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LR-35) culture. About 109 CFU/ mL of each potentially pathogenic bacteria was added to each type of yogurt tested, and kept in refrigeration at 4ºC during its shelf life, about 30 days. Bacterial count was done the initial day and every four days. Results obtained show that there is a difference in the inhibition between yogurts without added probiotics and the commercial yogurt with added probiotics; there is a clear inhibitory effect of the last one over S. aureus, E coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. The yogurt with added probiotics and L. rhamnosus did not show any additional inhibitory effect over the bacteria tested when compared with the yogurt with added probiotics. S. enteritidis could not be evaluated because it was not detectable in any yogurt samples evaluated four days after its inoculation. This study confirms the antagonic effect of probiotic cultures over potentially pathogenic bacteria for human beings and animals that may be present in food. Nevertheless, the use of L. rhamnosus did not produce any additional inhibitory effect.

Microbiological contamination of enteral feeding solutions used in Costa Rican hospitals

Enteral feeding is the most common and preferred modality for providing nutritional support to hospital patients with a functional gastrointestinal tract that can not satisfy their nutritional requirements. Nevertheless, enteral feeding may be an important cause of bacterial infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial contamination level of enteral feedings distributed in Costa Rican hospitals. A total of 124 samples of enteral feeding, coming from five different hospitals from San José, Costa Rica, were evaluated during the second semester of 1997 and first of 1998 for the presence and identification of total and fecal coliforms, Pseudomonas sp. and Listeria sp. A subpopulation of the Pseudomonas isolated was analyzed for their antibiotic susceptibility patterns. The concentration of Gram negative rods in the samples of enteral feeding solutions ranged from 10(3) to 10(7) CFU/mL, markedly exceeding the permissible level (10(2) CFU/mL or less). The coliforms most frequently isolated included Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coil, Serratia sp. and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Pseudomonas sp. was isolated in more than 70 per cent of the samples made from commercial based solutions, fruits and vegetables. P. aeruginosa and P. fluorescens were the species most frequently isolated. Listeria sp. was not isolated from enteral solutions samples. The results obtained demonstrate that it is urgent to assure strict hygiene during the preparation and handling of all enteral feed in order to avoid bacterial growth. The implementation of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) system will be required in a near future for better quality control of enteral nutrition mixtures.

Efecto del horno de microondas sobre el crecimiento y sobrevivencia de Escherichia coli O157 H7 inoculada en tortas de carne de res / Effect of microwave oven over the growth and survival of Escherichia coli O157 H7 inoculated in bovine minced meat samples

The use of microwave ovens in food industry is a growing trend. It is used for thawing, drying and cooking food, but the microorganism's inactivation that this treatment may exert or not is still a subject of worldwide discussion. At the same time. Escherichia coli O157:H7 now presents itself as an emerging pathogen, distributed worldwide and associated with food. Its resistance to adverse environments has been widely discussed. The purpose of this work was to determine the effect of different times of exposure and cooking intensities of microwave oven on the survival of this bacterium inoculated into minced meat samples. These were inoculated with a high (10(7)-10(9) CFU/mL) or low (10(7)-10(7) CFU/mL) population of E. coli O157:H7, frozen for 3 days at-4 degrees C and thawed in a Whirlpool microwave oven according to their weight. They were radiated at levels of 70 per cent, 80 per cent, 90 per cent and 100 per cent for periods of 30, 60, 90 and 120 seconds. In each sample the rate of survival of the bacteria was determined according to the methodology described by Vanderzant & Splittstoesser. The results obtained showed that the rate of destruction of the bacteria analyzed was significant (p < 0.005). The number of bacteria present in the meat samples diminished dramatically as the exposure time and temperature increased, even though, for the complete elimination of this microorganism, a prolonged exposure was necessary, even though it did cause undesirable organoleptic characteristics in the food samples.

Evaluación de la actividad de cultivos probióticos sobre Listeria monocytogenes durante la producción y almacenamiento de yogur / Evaluation of the activity of probiotic cultures over Listeria monocytogenes during the production and storage of yogurt

The effect of probiotic cultures over Listeria monocytogenes during the production and storage of yogurt was evaluated. A yogurt mixture (10.6 per cent non-fat solid liquids, 3 per cent fat and 0.3 per cent gelatin) was prepared, homogenized and pasteurized. Yogurt was inoculated with 0, 10(2), 10(4) and 10(6) CFU/mL of L. monocytogenes and 0.02 per cent of traditional lactic culture YC 180 (Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus) and probiotic culture ABY-1 (Bifidobacterium longum, B. bifidum, B, infantis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophilus y Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus). It was incubated for 3 h at 43 degrees C until pH reached an approximate value of 4.8, followed by refrigeration at 5 degrees C for 21 days. During fermentation, samples were taken every hour, and during storage every 3 days, analyzing pH and lactic, bifidobacteria and pathogen count for each time. It was demonstrated that there was no significant simple effect for the type of culture used (ABY-1 and YC 180) (p = 0.684) over the amount of L. monocytogenes present in yogurt during the fermentation and storage periods. The presence of bifidobacteria in the ABY-1 culture did not present a significant effect over L. monocytogenes. Neither the effect of time presented a significant effect over L. monocytogenes (p = 0.448). In this case, the ABY-1 and YC 180 cultures present a bacteriostatic effect over the pathogen. The probiotic cultures had a bacteriostatic but not bactericidal effect over L. monocytogenes. This is not related to the protective effect of these cultures in bowel, since in-vivo conditions favor the production of antimicrobial substances, such as bacteriocins that act over pathogens.