Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
*Cronobacter sakazakii* (formerly known as *Enterobacter sakazakii*) is an opportunistic foodborne pathogen of significant concern in food safety, particularly in powdered infant formula.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze the microbiological characteristics of *Cronobacter sakazakii*:
- Gram-staining and Morphology: It is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped (bacillus) bacterium.
- Motility: It is motile, using peritrichous flagella for movement.
- Spore formation: It is non-spore-forming.
- Coliform classification: It belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae. Because it can ferment lactose with the production of acid and gas, it is classified as a coliform bacterium.
This pathogen is highly resistant to dry conditions, allowing it to survive for long periods in low-moisture foods like powdered infant formula.
Ingesting contaminated formula can cause severe, life-threatening infections in infants, including neonatal meningitis, sepsis, and necrotizing enterocolitis.
Therefore, option (C) correctly describes all its microbiological characteristics.
Step 3: Final Answer:
*Cronobacter sakazakii* is a Gram-negative, motile, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped coliform bacterium.