The behavior of Salmonella enteritidis (SE) and Escherichia coli in albumen and yolk of chicken eggs submitted to two different temperatures, 8ºC and 30ºC, when separately inoculated or in the form of mixed cultures was studied. There was no difference in the behaviour of the tested agents even when inoculated together. Even under high temperature, E. coli did not multiply in the albumen, demonstrating the inhibition power for that microorganism, while SE increased its population up to three logarithmic cycles. In egg yolk, SE demonstrated psychrotrophic characteristics.
hicken; egg quality; bacterial growth; temperature; storage