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Bacteria Identification

The other day I cooked some egg pasta in salted water and left the pot on the stove. I was away for a couple of days afterward and was surprised on return at the extent of the bacteria that had grown in the slurry at the bottom of the pot. Can anyone identify the bacteria from the photo in particular the red blooms?

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  • Asked by bward
  • on 2010-06-21 14:59:09
  • Member status
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Categories: Domestic Science.

Tags: Food, bacteria, kitchen.

 

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Jon-Richfield says:

Well spotted!

You have a right job lot of microbes there. Not all are bacteria, some are visibly fungi. The red spots are almost certainly some species of Serratia, and probably the famous (or perhaps slightly infamous) Serratia marcescens. It is a favourite of first year microbiology practicals because of the spectacular colour of its colonies.

As a result, and because it is a common species, frequently found in the gut for instance, and seldom does much harm, it is possibly too lightly regarded as a threat. Certainly, under most conditions, most healthy people come to no harm from handling it. For example I have no idea how much more harmful some of those brown colonies in your photograph might or might not be if they got into you.

However, treating Serratia marcescens too casually would be irresponsible. It has been associated with some fairly serious conditions, both in hospitals and among drug users.

So admire it, then dispose of it as hygienically as you can.

Go well,

Jon

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Tags: Food, bacteria, kitchen.

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posted on 2010-06-22 10:52:32 | Report abuse


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