Coliform and Escherichia coli contamination of desserts served in public restaurants from Guadalajara, Mexico, and Houston, Texas

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2009 Apr;80(4):606-8.

Abstract

Bacterial enteropathogens acquired from contaminated food are the principal causes of travelers' diarrhea (TD). We evaluated desserts obtained from popular restaurants in the tourist city of Guadalajara, Mexico, and Houston, Texas, to determine coliform and Escherichia coli contamination levels and presence of diarrheagenic E. coli known to be important in TD. Contamination for all organisms was seen for desserts served in Guadalajara restaurants. Desserts should be considered as potentially risky foods for development of TD among international visitors to developing regions of the world.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Enterobacteriaceae / isolation & purification*
  • Escherichia coli / classification
  • Escherichia coli / isolation & purification
  • Food Microbiology*
  • Ice Cream / microbiology
  • Mexico
  • Restaurants
  • Texas