Incidence and identification of mesophilic Aeromonas spp. from retail foods

Sixty-eight food samples were examined for the presence of mesophilic Aerom onas species both qualitatively and quantitatively. Aeromonads were isolate d from 26% of the vegetable samples, 70% of the meat and poultry samples an d 72% of the fish and shrimps. Numbers of motile aeromonads present in the food samples varied from < 10(2) cfu g(-1) to > 10(5) cfu g(-1). GLC analys is of FAMEs was used to identify a selection of presumptive Aeromonas colon ies to fenospecies or genomic species level. Aeromonas strains belonging to the Aer. caviae complex, which also includes the potentially pathogenic ge nospecies HG4, were mostly isolated from vegetables but were also found in meat, poultry and fish. In addition, three strains of the virulent taxon Ae r. veronii biovar sobria HG8 were isolated from poultry and minced meat. Al l members of the Aer. hydrophila complex, predominant in the fish, meat and poultry samples, were classified in the non-virulent taxon HG3. Although t he significance of Aeromonas in foods remains undefined, the isolation of A eromonas HG4 and HG8 strains from a variety of retail foods may indicate th at these products can act as possible vehicles for the dessimination of foo d-borne Aeromonas gastroenteritis.