Abstract

SREDNIK, M.E.T; RUMI, M.V.  and  BENTANCOR, A. Safety ground beef under the regulatory framework of The Argentine Food Code and the presence of Escherichia coli strains causing attaching and effacing lesions. InVet [online]. 2013, vol.15, n.2, pp.123-130. ISSN 1668-3498.

Escherichia coli is a marker of fecal contamination in food. Within the specie there are health risk pathotypes. Among them, enteropathogenic E. coli and enterohemorrhagic E. coli share the ability to introduce attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions on intestinal cells. The study of both pathotypes includes those most frequently related to childhood diarrhea. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of strains A/E, particulary the enteropathogenic that would be considered safe under current control regulations. 98 ground beef samples from butchers located in Buenos Aires were tested. The presence of the pathotypes was analyzed by PCR of the genes a) eae, encoding intimin protein, necessary to cause A/E in the intestinal mucosa and b) stx1/stx2, encoding Shiga toxin. Eight samples were positive to eae gene. Also, two samples were positive to stx1/stx2 genes. Under current regulations, 8% of samples can be categorized as carriers of generic E. coli strains and can be marketed without estimating their impact on health. Review of quality and safety criteria should be analized.

Keywords : AEEC; Escherichia coli; Ground beef; Quality; Safety.

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