Behavior of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, enteroinvasive E. coli, enteropathogenic E. coli and enterotoxigenic E. coli strains on whole and sliced jalapeno and serrano peppers

The behavior of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) and non-0157 shiga toxin-producing E. coli (non-0157-STEC) on whole and slices of jalapeno and serrano peppers as well as in blended sauce at 25 +/- 2 degrees C and 3 +/- 2 degrees C was investigated. Chili peppers were collected from markets of Pachuca city, Hidalgo, Mexico. On whole serrano and jalapeno stored at 25 +/- 2 degrees C or 3 +/- 2 degrees C, no growth was observed for EPEC, ETEC, EIEC and non-0157-STEC rifampicin resistant strains. After twelve days at 25 +/- 2 degrees C, on serrano peppers all diarrheagenic E. coli pathotypes (DEP) strains had decreased by a total of approximately 3.7 log, whereas on jalapeno peppers the strains had decreased by approximately 2.8 log, and at 3 +/- 2 degrees C they decreased to approximately 2.5 and 2.2 log respectively, on serrano and jalapeno. All E. coli pathotypes grew onto sliced chili peppers and in blended sauce: after 24 h at 25 +/- 2 degrees C, all pathotypes had grown to approximately 3 and 4 log CFU on pepper slices and sauce, respectively. At 3 +/- 2 degrees C the bacterial growth was inhibited. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.