Effect of moisture and temperature on survival of Salmonella Enteritidis on shell eggs Der Einfluss von Feuchtigkeit und Temperatur auf das berleben von Salmonella Enteritidis auf Schaleneiern

During a few recent years the cases of Salmonella food poisonings have been steadily growing in Poland and some other countries, and S. Enteritidis has been responsible for over 50% of the food-borne outbreaks. Food products containing raw eggs were the main sources of these poisonings (Mead et al., 1999; Centers for Disease Control., 2000; Radkowski, 1995, 2001). Although some strains of salmonellae can enter the egg from an infected ovary (O’Brien, 1988) the frequent route of infection is considered by some authors to be by penetration through the shell (Adler, 1965: Mishu et al., 1991). However, the experimental conditions which produced infections through the shell would hardly be encountered in ordinary egg handling and storage. The objectives of the present study were to define more clearly the effect of temperature and humidity on the behaviour of S. Enteritidis on shell eggs and to attempt to relate these environmental conditions to possible hazardous practices in egg handling that should be avoided.