Development of a multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay for detection and differentiation of Staphylococcus aureus in dairy products.

A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for the detection and differentiation of enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus in dairy products. A solvent extraction procedure was successfully modified for extraction of S. aureus DNA from 10 ml of artificially contaminated skim milk or 20 g cheddar cheese.