Incidence of microbial flora in lettuce, meat and Spanish potato omelette from restaurants

A total of 370 samples including lettuce, meats (beef pork and chicken) and Spanish potato omelette from restaurants were studied to evaluate the inci dence of Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonel la spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, enterococci and some micro-organisms that can cause spoilage or can be used as indicators for food safety. Escherich ia coli and enterococci were harboured with the highest incidence in lettuc e whereas incidence of Staphylococcus aureus was higher in meat than in the other foods studied. Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniae were i solated from the three food groups. Chryseomonas luteola, Enterobacter saka zakii, Klebsiella ozaenae, Moraxella spp. and Serratia odorifera were isola ted from lettuce, whilst Providencia spp were detected only in beef Salmone lla spp., E. coil O157:H7 or Yersinia enterocolitica were not isolated from any of the raw or 'ready-to-eat' samples analysed. (C) 2001 Academic Press .