ENTEROTOXIGENIC Staphylococcus IN MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS, ITS ENTEROTOXINS AND RELATED GENES: A REVIEW

Abstract

This review summarizes publications about the occurrence of enterotoxigênic Staphylococcus and its enterotoxins in milk and dairy products, outbreaks and sporadic cases of staphylococcal food poisoning, enterotoxin types and its genes. Among the genus Staphylococcus, S. aureus is the prevalent species in milk and cheeses, mainly homemade cheeses, and is often associated with outbreaks of food poisoning. Cheese can be contaminated by raw milk, the manipulator and, the processing environment. An important source of raw milk contamination is the bovine mastitis, which have S. aureus as the most prevalent etiologic agent. 18 types of enterotoxinas (A, B, C1, 2, 3, D, and, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R and U) have already been identified and their genes have also been described. Reports of the occurrence of coagulase negative strains with enterotoxigenic potential, in milk and milk products, indicate the necessity of reevaluation of the microbiological standards established by Brazil’s legislation.