Identification of Staphylococcus aureus from fresh cheese sold in markets and shopping centers in the city of Cuenca

Abstract

Introduction: Microbial pathogens are the major cause of foodborne illness. One of the main bacterial agents is Staphylococcus aureus, and when faced with a lack of hygienic and sanitary quality during the food manufacturing process, pathological risk factors and foodborne diseases become evident. Objective: To identify the presence of Staphylococcus aureus from bulk fresh cheese sold in various municipal markets and shopping centers in Cuenca by phenotypic methods. Methodology: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between May and June 2023. A simple random sampling method was employed, resulting in the analysis of 60 bulk fresh cheese samples, with 40 samples obtained from different municipal markets and 20 samples collected from shopping malls in Cuenca, Ecuador. Sample collection, isolation, and analysis followed conventional microbiological methods and procedures. Results: It was found that 88.33% of the samples exhibited colony growth characteristics consistent with S. aureus. Biochemical tests revealed that 35.84% were catalase-positive, 15.09% were coagulase-positive, and 11.32% were DNase (deoxyribonuclease)-positive. Conclusion: There is the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in fresh cheese sold in various municipal markets Cuenca in comparison to the commercial centers whose product quality was shown to be good.