Toxin production potential and the detection of toxin genes among strains of the Bacillus cereus group isolated along the dairy production chain

Isolates of the Bacillus cereus group (396 in total) from farms, silo tanks and production lines for pasteurised milk were tested for toxin production potential, and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of toxin genes. Comparison between the tests indicated the presence of gene polymo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International dairy journal 2007-10, Vol.17 (10), p.1201-1208
Main Authors: Svensson, Birgitta, Monthán, Amanda, Guinebretière, Marie-Hélène, Nguyen-Thé, Christophe, Christiansson, Anders
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacillus cereus
Bacillus weihenstephanensis
bacterial contamination
bacterial toxins
Biological and medical sciences
cattle production
dairy cattle
dairy industry
detection
Emetic toxin
Enterotoxins
food contamination
Food industries
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
genes
genetic polymorphism
Methods of analysis, processing and quality control, regulation, standards
Milk
Milk and cheese industries. Ice creams
pasteurized milk
Psychrotrophic
strain differences
toxigenic strains
toxin genes
Toxin production
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Summary:Isolates of the Bacillus cereus group (396 in total) from farms, silo tanks and production lines for pasteurised milk were tested for toxin production potential, and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of toxin genes. Comparison between the tests indicated the presence of gene polymorphisms. Highly toxigenic strains, based on production of subunit A of the nonhemolytic enterotoxin, NHE (NheA) and subunit C of the haemolytic enterotoxin, HBL (HblC), were less common among dairy isolates compared with farm and silo isolates. No producer of high levels of both toxins was found among 156 psychrotrophic dairy isolates ( B. weihenstephanensis) and only 3% of all psychrotrophs were high producers of NheA. Psychrotrophic B. cereus from pasteurised milk appeared to have a low enterotoxin production potential, and they were not producers of emetic toxin or cytotoxin K and therefore may be less likely to cause illness than mesophilic strains.
ISSN:0958-6946
1879-0143
DOI:10.1016/j.idairyj.2007.03.004