Influence of incubation conditions on survival and acid tolerance response of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and non-O157:H7 isolates exposed to acetic acid.

The increasing frequency of Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks, especially in acidic foods, raises the concern of an acid tolerance response (ATR). Organic acids can be present in processed and preserved foods: shifts in the acid levels of foods due to these acids may allow E. coli to adapt and later tolerate pH levels that would normally inactivate the organism. The effect of temperature and agitation on the ATRs of three E. coli O157:H7 and two non-O157:H7 isolates were determined. Triggered at pH 5.0, the adaptive system of the ATR allowed for up to nearly 1,000-fold enhanced survival of E. coli O157:H7 cells in some cases compared to survival of nonadapted cells at pH 4.0. E. coli O157:H7 isolates revealed greater acid tolerance responses when incubated statically at 32 degrees C, whereas the non-O157:H7 E. coli isolates exhibited a greater acid tolerance response with orbital agitation at 25 degrees C. The magnitude of response changed over the incubation period.