Genetic diversity of Escherichia coli isolated from ice cube production sites.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of Escherichia coli including from ice cubes in Indonesia is quite high. Unfortunately, little is known about the genetic diversity of E. coli from ice cube production site. Genotypic variation in E. coli populations is a major barrier to control public health risk associated with foodborne pathogen. The aims of this study were to analyze the genotypic diversity of E. coli strains isolated from various samples in order to determine the genetic relationship between those strains. This study is also important to understand the occurrence, prevalence and profile picture of different pathogenic E. coli in various sources which potentially cause disease. RESULTS: Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) and repetitive extragenic palindromic polymerase chain reaction (REP-PCR) dendrogram showed high genetic diversity of 120 E. coli isolates in majority of sampling sites. DNA fingerprint patterns showed 26 and 21 clusters with 11 and 3 fingerprints individual lineages for ERIC and REP-PCR respectively. There was no correlation observed between phylogenetic relationship and virulence genes. The result indicated a variation of E. coli isolates in ice cube manufacturers. ERIC-PCR method is more discriminative compared with REP-PCR to analyze the genetic diversity of E. coli from ice cubes production sites.

Critical points and the presence of pathogenic bacteria in iced beverage processing lines.

INTRODUCTION: Ice can be contaminated by pathogenic bacteria. This study aimed to identify critical points in iced beverage production and distribution lines to examine the presence of pathogenic bacteria in a beverage and its processing environment, as well as when water and ice used as main ingredients. METHODOLOGY: The critical points were determined using the principles of Hazard Analytical Critical Control Point (HACCP) to analyze each processing and distribution step from the survey. Samples collected from the points of concern based on the critical points that were found were tested for pathogens by conventional method and molecular method using primers and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Escherichia coli was found in 6.34% of samples, and 0.7% of them were confirmed as enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) by PCR. Vibrio cholerae was found in in 0.7% of water samples used to make iced beverages and in ice production, as well as in 2.12% of distribution and production tools. Salmonella Typhimurium was found in 1.4% of water samples used to make ice and ice products. Staphylococcus aureus was found in 2.02% of the surfaces of ice distribution and production tools and in 5.05% of production and distribution workers' hands. S. aureus counts ranged from 2.4×102 - 3.5×102 colonies/100 cm² surface area and 1.9×10¹ - 3.7×102 colonies/workers' hands. CONCLUSION: Control on many critical points in iced beverage processing and distribution is required so that the beverages are safe for consumption.