Occurrence of enterotoxigenic staphylococci in raw milk

The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of enterotoxigenic st aphylococci among staphylococci isolated from raw milk. There is a chance o f transmitting into milk enterotoxigenic strains from cows, which have no s ymptoms of mastitis. The investigations were carried out on 150 samples of cow's milk from two different dairy farms and 100 samples of swabs from dai ry equipment after washing and-disinfection. From the examined samples, 40 strains of stapylococci were isolated; 36: strains' taken front milk sample s and 4 from the swabs. Nearly half of the isolated strains were coagulase- positive: In the group of coagulase-positive staphylococci, 18 strains were determined as Staphylococcus aureus and 1 as Stapylococcus intermedius. Th e ability to produce enterotoxins was found in 66% of the strains of S. aur eus. Generally enterotoxigenic strains were determined in 5% of the examine d samples. None of the strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci or S. in termedius have any ability to produce enterotoxin. The examination of enter otoxigenicity of staphylococci occurring in food products seems to be more reliable for the evaluation of hazards caused by these bacteria.