Food-associated bacteria in bioaerosols of delicatessens.

Air constituency of the delicatessen sections of a retail group was assessed for the presence and distribution of bioaerosols and the correlation with physical parameters. Total viable counts were determined and the total coliforms, Escherichia coli, other members of the Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus aureus were enumerated. These counts were relatively low, with the average total viable counts 1.34x102 cfu . m-3, Enterobacteriaceae 2.6x10 cfu . m-3 and S. aureus 2.2x10 cfu . m-3. Small numbers of total coliforms were detected and E. coli was not present at all. The distribution of Enterobacteriaceae differed significantly between three groups of visitor numbers and the total viable counts differed between two types of ventilation. The risk of infection should not be disregarded as a result of finding these organisms only in small numbers and could be a starting point in the prevention of food contamination, by regulating mechanisms to effectively minimize bioaerosols counts of enteric bacteria.