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Staphylococcus aureus and food poisoning.

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2003

Year

TLDR

Food‑borne diseases are a major global concern, with about 250 described and two thirds caused by bacteria; Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of gastroenteritis from contaminated food, and its food poisoning results from preformed enterotoxins. The authors review recent data on staphylococcal enterotoxins and interactions between S. aureus and food matrices, highlighting environmental factors that influence toxin production.

Abstract

Food-borne diseases are of major concern worldwide. To date, around 250 different food-borne diseases have been described, and bacteria are the causative agents of two thirds of food-borne disease outbreaks. Among the predominant bacteria involved in these diseases, Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of gastroenteritis resulting from the consumption of contaminated food. Staphylococcal food poisoning is due to the absorption of staphylococcal enterotoxins preformed in the food. Here, we briefly review the latest data on staphylococcal enterotoxins and some papers exemplifying the interactions between S. aureus and the food matrix; environmental factors affecting staphylococcal enterotoxin production are discussed.