Optimized enrichment for the detection of Escherichia coli O26 in French raw milk cheeses

Aims: Our main objective was to optimize the enrichment of Escherichia coli O26 in raw milk cheeses for their subsequent detection with a new automated immunological method. Methods and Results: Ten enrichment broths were tested for the detection of E. coli O26. Two categories of experimentally inoculated raw milk cheeses, semi-hard uncooked cheese and ‘Camembert' type cheese, were initially used to investigate the relative efficacy of the different enrichments. The enrichments that were considered optimal for the growth of E. coli O26 in these cheeses were then challenged with other types of raw milk cheeses. Buffered peptone water supplemented with cefixim-tellurite and acriflavin was shown to optimize the growth of E. coli O26 artificially inoculated in the cheeses tested. Despite the low inoculum level (1-10 CFU per 25 g) in the cheeses, E. coli O26 counts reached at least 5·10⁴ CFU ml⁻¹ after 24-h incubation at 41·5°C in this medium. Conclusions: All the experimentally inoculated cheeses were found positive by the immunological method in the enrichment broth selected. Significance and Impact of the Study: Optimized E. coli O26 enrichment and rapid detection constitute the first steps of a complete procedure that could be used in routine to detect E. coli O26 in raw milk cheeses.