Occurrence of enterotoxigenic staphylococci in white raw sausage

The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of enterotoxigenic staphylococci among staphylococci isolated from raw sausage (so called white" kielbasa). The investigations were carried out on 60 samples from raw sausages from a local market. 29 strains of coagulase-positive stapylococci were isolated from the examined samples. All isolated strains were recognised as Staphylococcus aureus. The ability to produce enterotoxins was found in 55% of the strains. Generally enterotoxigenic strains were determined in 26% of the examined samples of raw sausages. The isolated strains of Staphylococcus aureus were divided into four biochemical biotypes according to the ability of lactose utilisation and of producing arginine dihydrolase (ADH). Among them, the most numerous biotype (18 strains) utilised lactose and produced arginine dihydrolase (ADH). There was no relation between the biochemical characteristics of isolated strains and their enterotoxigencity.