TY - JOUR AU - Lamon, Sonia AU - Piras, Francesca AU - Meloni, Domenico AU - Agus, Vanessa AU - Porcheddu, Gabriella AU - Pes, Margherita AU - Cambula, Maria Giovanna AU - Esposito, Giuseppe AU - Fois, Federica AU - Consolati, Simonetta Gianna AU - Mureddu, Anna PY - 2020/12/03 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Enumeration of Escherichia coli and determination of Salmonella spp. and verotoxigenic Escherichia coli in shellfish (Mytilus galloprovincialis and Ruditapes decussatus) harvested in Sardinia, Italy JF - Italian Journal of Food Safety JA - Ital J Food Safety VL - 9 IS - 4 SE - Original Articles DO - 10.4081/ijfs.2020.8625 UR - https://www.pagepressjournals.org/ijfs/article/view/8625 SP - AB - <p>The aim of the present study was to evaluate the occurrence of <em>Salmonella</em> spp., Verotoxigenic <em>E. Col</em>i (VTEC) and enumerate <em>E. coli</em> in shellfish (<em>Mytilus galloprovincialis</em> and <em>Ruditapes decussatus</em>) collected before and after depuration from two class B harvesting areas located in Sardinia (Italy). All the samples were analyzed for Salmonella spp. detection according to European Commission Regulation (EC) 2073/2005 and examined using the five tube Most-Probable-Number (MPN) method for enumeration of <em>E. coli</em> in accordance with the European Union reference method ISO 16649-3:2015. <em>E. coli</em> VTEC was investigated following a direct multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) screening test. The enumeration of<em> E. coli</em> met the European law limit for Class A areas of 230 MPN/100g. The averaged enumeration of<em> E. coli</em> in samples of <em>M. galloprovincialis</em> and <em>R. decussatus</em> collected at the harvesting time was 39 and 37 MPN/100 g respectively. The average contamination levels in samples collected after purification were 58 MPN/100g (<em>M. galloprovincialis)</em> and 32 MPN/100 g (<em>R. decussatus</em>). <em>E. coli</em> VTEC was not detected, on the contrary, <em>Salmonella</em> ser. <em>Typhimurium</em> was detected in one sample of <em>M. galloprovincialis</em> and in one sample of <em>R. decussatus</em> collected at the harvesting time. No significant associations were observed between <em>E. coli</em> levels in shellfish and environmental parameters of water or with the detection of <em>Salmonella</em> ser. <em>Typhimurium</em> in <em>M. galloprovincialis</em> and <em>R. decussatus</em> samples. Nevertheless, the occurrence of <em>Salmonella</em> ser. <em>Typhimurium</em>, involved in human infection outbreaks, should be considered a potential risk for consumers.</p> ER -