A total of 1, 019 samples of milk, meat and fish and their products were examined for the incidence of Staphylococcus aureus and the production of staphylococcal enterotoxin from strains isolated between 1995 and 1998 in China. Overall, 381 samples (37.4%) were contaminated with S. aureus. The rate of isolation was 46.7% for raw milk, 6.3% for dairy products, 73.6% for chicken meat, 29.5% for pork, 25.0% for beef, 19.5% for meat products and 30.9% for fish and shellfish. None of S. aureus was found in yoghurt and dry milk. Fortyeight (33.1%) of the 145 isolates from milk and dairy products, 61 (29.5%) of 207 isolates from meat and meat products, and 6 (20.7%) of 29 isolates from fish and shellfish produced staphylococcal enterotoxin, types A to E, respectively. The most predominant type was C, followed by A and B.
