Survival of Staphylococcus aureus and enterotoxin A in glassy and rubbery states of gelatin.

About 1% of Staphylococcus aureus cells survived the production of gelatin sheets containing nutrient broth. Those cells which survived showed no evidence of injury. Growth occurred in rubbery state gelatin with a(w) values of 0.98 and 0.93 ; viability decreased during storage at a(w) values of 0.89, 0.62 and 0.36 but there was little loss of viability in gelatin at an aw of 0.25 over 27 d storage at 26 degrees C. Assays for enterotoxin A detected no synthesis of new toxin but no loss in pre-formed toxin. The results suggest that high levels of Staph. aureus and its toxins should be excluded from glassy and rubbery state food products in order to prevent illness.