Total and fecal coliforms,some enterobacteria staphylococcus sp. and moulds in salads for hot dogs sold in Maracay,Venezuela

Fast food sold on the streets are good vehicle to transmit gastrointestinal diseases to consumers because they are highly manipulated. The vegetables are a good media for pathogens growth. Raw vegetables salads for hot dog sold in Maracay were studied. Total and fecal Coliforms and Staphylococcus sp. were quantified by the Most Probable Number Technique, Coliforms and Staphylococcus isolated were partially identified. Also the mould population was quantified and identified. Microbial growth was correlated with pH and acidity measurements. MPN/g of Total Coliforms was 1.44 x 10(5) and 4.57 x 10(4) for fecal Coliforms. E. coli was no detected. 87 isolated from the Coliforms were partially identified as Citrobacter freundii variety 1 (45.09% of the isolated), C. freundii variety II (21.57%), Enterobacter aerogenes variety I (17.65%) and E. aerogenes variety II (15.69%); Staphylococcus sp. 3.93 x 10(6) MPN/g and all of its isolated (52) were coagulase negative. The mould population was 4.5 x 10(4) ufc/g, Penicillium sp., Aspergillus, sp., Fusarium sp. were partially identified. The salads presented a pH of 5.92 and an acidity of 0.78 ml of NaOH.