For each experimental group, 25 bags were prepared, and 5 bags
were grouped and spiked with one serogroup of STEC. Each bagwas
100 g of food sample, and it was spiked with 100 ml of bacterial
suspension adjusted to 107e108 cfu/ml. All the samples in the bags
were rinsed with the bacterial suspension. The samples, then, were
taken out from the bags and transferred in to new bags, and held at
room temperature for attachment for 45 min. After attachment
period, the samples were stored at refrigerator (4 C) (15e30 min)
until the decontamination step.