Enterotoxin C2 Production by S. aureus in Entree Salads

Staphylococcus aureus strain 361 was inoculated into salads containing chicken, macaroni, potato, or artificially flavored soy product. Egg was added to some. The pH averaged 6.2 in the control made with water dressing rather than vinegar, 4.7 with home-style cooked salad dressing, and 4.9 with commercial salad dressing. Following incubation at 37°C for 8 or 24 hr, pH, total counts, and enterotoxin C₂ were determined. Enterotoxin was detected at 8 hr in all macaroni and potato dressing types. At 8 hr, enterotoxin was not detected in most soy product or chicken salads. By 24 hr the lowest levels were in the soy product salads but all products contained toxin. When the inoculum level was reduced below the 10⁵ CFU per g used in the main study, enterotoxin production was delayed but occurred at 8 hr if the inoculum level was 10³.