Heat and pulsed electric field resistance of pigmented and non-pigmented enterotoxigenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus in exponential and stationary phase of growth.

The survival of four enterotoxigenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus (with different pigment content) to heat and to pulsed electric fields (PEF) treatments, and the increase in resistance to both processing stresses associated with entrance into stationary phase was examined. Survival curves to heat (58 degrees C) and to PEF (26 kV/cm) of cells in the stationary and in the exponential phase of growth were obtained. Whereas a wide variation in resistance to heat treatments was detected amongst the four strains, with decimal reduction time values at 58 degrees C (D(58 degrees C)) ranging from 0.93 to 0.20 min, the resistance to PEF was very similar. The occurrence of a higher tolerance to heat in stationary phase was coincident with a higher content in carotenoid pigmentation in S. aureus colonies. However, cells of the most heat resistant (pigmented) and the most heat sensitive (non-pigmented) strains in the mid-exponential phase of growth showed similar resistance to heat and to PEF. Therefore the increase in thermotolerance upon entrance into stationary phase of growth was more marked for the pigmented strains. Recovery in anaerobic conditions particularly enhanced survival to heat treatments in a non-pigmented strain. Strain CECT 4630, which possess a deficient sigma B activity, showed low heat resistance, low pigmentation, and reduced increase in thermotolerance in stationary phase. These results indicate that the magnitude of the development of a higher heat resistance in S. aureus in stationary phase is positively related to the carotenoid content of the strain. The development of tolerance to pulsed electric field was less relevant and not linked to the carotenoid content.