Verotoxin-producing E-coli (VTEC) and E-coli counts in fresh raw sausages

The E. coli-counts and the contamination with verotoxin producing E. coli w as examinated in fvresh raw sausages with regard to product safety. More th an 95% of the samples (n=480) from different origins (retail-market, fresh products from butcher's) had E. coli counts of less than 10 CFU/g. The vero toxin-gene was detected in 9.7% of the samples (n=753). 1.9% were microbiol ogical confirmed by isolation of the verotoxin-producing E. coli. Thirteen of the 28 isolated VTEC-strains produced enterohemolysin, none of them poss essed the eae-gene. The serotype E. coli O157 was detected in three samples . These three E. coli O157 strains were verotoxin-gene and Ehly-gene negati v. One strain had the eae-gene.