Isolation and Identification of Pathogenic Microorganisms from Soybean Sprouts

Raw soybean sprouts were tested for contamination with the following bacteria which have potential for pathogenesis or food spoilage: Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, Yersinia enterocolitica, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Aeromonas hydrophila, Plesidomonas shigeloides, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter jejuni, Erwinia spp., and Fusarium spp. Three of the above strains were isolated from the sprouts, and identified by morphological and biochemical methods including an API kit and ATB automated identification system. The isolate cultured in Cereus selective agar, a selective medium, was a Gram-positive, rod shaped, anaerobic spore former. The biochemical and culture tests revealed the following characteristics: catalase-positive, no growth on Simmon's citrate, NO₂ production and requirement of arginine for growth; the ATB automated identification system gave 99.8% agreement for the identification of Bacillus cereus to the species level. The isolate cultured in MacConkey agar selective medium was Gram-negative, rod shaped and a gas former; the ATB-system gave 99.9% agreement for the identification of Aeromonas hydrophila to the species level. The isolate found in Pseudomonas isolation agar was Gramnegative, rod shaped, cytochrome oxidase-positive, a reducer of nitrates to nitrogen, and pyocyanin producer; the ATB-system gave 99.9% agreement for the identification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the species level. These results indicate that the three bacteria species present in the soybean sprouts were Bacillus cereus, Aeromonas hydrophila, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Yersinia enterocolitica; which are associated with serious disease in humans, were not isolated from soybean sprouts examined in this study.