Survey of Soft and Semisoft Cheese for Presence of Fecal Coliforms and Serotypes of Enteropathogenic Escherichia Coli

Soft and semisoft cheese varieties including Camembert, Brie, brick, Muenster, and Colby were analyzed for fecal coliforms and serotypes of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EEC). Analysis for EEC was done using both direct streak and two enrichment procedures so that atypical strains, if present, would be recovered. Of 106 samples collected during the summer of 1977, 57.5% contained less than 100 fecal coliforms/g and 17.0% contained over 10,000 fecal coliforms/g. Serotypes of EEC were not detected in any of these samples.