Survival of Shigella boydii 18 in bean salad

A strain of Shigella boydii 18 involved in a bean salad outbreak and S. boydii 18 ATCC 35966 were used to inoculate bean salad. Bean salad samples were stored at 4 or 23°C. At 4°C, the S. boydii survived for the duration of the shelf life of the salad but did not grow. At 23°C, both strains increased by two orders of magnitude by day 2 and decreased rapidly thereafter. This demonstrates the importance of proper storage in preventing the outgrowth of foodborne pathogens.