SUMMARY—A variety of laboratory cured hams were inoculated with 103−106cells ofS. aureusstrain S‐6 and incubated at 10, 22 and 30°C anaerobically for up to 16 weeks. Enterotoxin‐B was detected by gel‐diffusion in hams with original pH over 5.30, up to 9.2 NaCl (brine) and 0.54 ppm undissociated nitrous acid. There was better toxin production at 30° than at 22° or 10°C. Toxin was detected at 10°C after at least 2 weeks incubation and in most samples after 8 weeks when pH was greater than 5.6. Toxic hams had more than 4 × 106cells/g. Contaminants were always less than 105/g. Tween 80 inhibited toxin production at 30° but not at 10°C. Toxic hams looked normal even after 2 months i
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