Notes: In this study, a real-time PCR assay coupled with a DNA extraction method were used to detect staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE)-encoding genes in milk, a source of staphylococcal food poisoning. Pasteurized milk prepared with known concentrations of Staphylococcus aureus was used to generate a standard curve; experimental samples were from a staphylococcal food-poisoning outbreak that occurred in Japan in June 2000. PCR inhibition was overcome by using the following DNA purification method: a sample of milk (100µl) was added to an equal volume of 0.2M sodium hydroxide and incubated at 37°C for 20 minutes. The alkaline-treated sample was neutralized using 10µl of 3M sodium acetate (pH 5.4), extracted with 1ml of petroleum ether, and centrifuged at 13,000 × g for 10 minutes at 25°C. The aqueous phase was transferred to a fresh tube and bacterial DNA was purified from the aqueous solution using the Wizard^® SV Genomic DNA Purification System. (3677)