Detection of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase producing Escherichia coli in table eggs from Istanbul.

ESBL-producing Escherichia coli strains threaten public health and obligate the use of last-resort antibiotics. This study identified 15 E. coli isolates through 16S rRNA and gyrB genes, specific to E. coli, in 120 egg samples (12.5%). Antibiotic resistance was detected according to the EUCAST and CLSI in E. coli isolates. 2 isolates were susceptible to all antibiotics, one isolate was resistant to one antibiotic, one isolate was resistant to 2 antibiotics, and 11 E. coli isolates (73.3%) had multidrug resistance. Most frequent antibiotic resistances were detected against ampicillin (80%), tetracycline (66.6%), and chloramphenicol (66.6%). A double-disc confirmation test was used to detect ESBL production, and blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M and blaOXA genes were searched by PCR. The blaTEM (100%) gene was found in all resistant E. coli isolates, and the blaCTX-M gene was detected in only 3 (20%) E. coli isolates. None of the E. coli isolates contained the genes responsible for carbapenem and colistin resistance. Our results show that multi-drug antibiotic resistance and the blaTEM gene are frequent in E. coli from table eggs in Istanbul. This is the first preliminary study on ESBL-producing E. coli isolates in table eggs in Türkiye.

Mycotoxin levels and incidence of mould in Turkish rice.

One hundred unpackaged rice samples, each weighing 500 g, were randomly collected at retail stores and open markets in the largest rice growing area (Thrace) in Turkey and analysed for mould counts, predominant mould genera, moisture content and mycotoxin levels. Mould counts ranged from 1.0 × 10(1) to 1.5 × 10(4) cfu/g in 70 of 100 samples, and the correlation between moisture content and mould count was significant (p ≤ 0.05). Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp., potential mycotoxin producers, were the dominant moulds. In one area from which samples were collected, the mycotoxin content of rice was found to be positively correlated with moisture content; samples with higher moisture also contained higher numbers of moulds. The levels of total aflatoxins, aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A were higher than the maximum tolerable limits (4, 2 and 3 µg/kg, according to the EC Regulation and the Turkish Food Codex) for 32, 14 and 30 of 100 rice samples, respectively. This is the first comprehensive report of ochratoxin A levels in rice grown in Thrace, Turkey.