This study assessed the contamination of Escherichia coli, in lettuce grown with treated domestic wastewater in four different irrigation configurations: open spray, spray under plastic sheet cover, open drip and drip under plastic sheet cover. Samples of lettuce from each irrigation configuration and irrigating wastewater were collected during the growing season. No E. coli was detected in lettuce from drip irrigated beds. All lettuce samples from spray beds were positive for E. coli, however, no statistical difference (p > 0.05) was detected between lettuces grown in open spray or covered spray beds. The results from the field experiment were also compared to a laboratory experiment which used submersion of lettuce in wastewater of known E. coli concentration as a surrogate method to assess contamination following irrigation. The microbial quality of spray bed lettuces was not significantly different from submersed lettuce when irrigated with wastewater containing 1,299.7 E. coli MPN/100 mL (p > 0.05). This study is significant since it is the first to validate that the microbial contamination of lettuce irrigated with wastewater in the field is comparable with a laboratory technique frequently applied in the quantitative microbial risk assessment of the consumption of wastewater irrigated salad crops.

No abstract

The aim of this descriptive cross-sectional study was to investigate the food safety conditions at food service premises and the hand hygiene of food handlers in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. The food safety conditions of 24 food service premises in the Pakpoon municipality of Nakhon Si Thammarat were assessed using a food sanitation inspection form and fecal indicator testing. The fecal indicators in this study were coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli (E. coli). A total of 162 samples were randomly collected from food and utensils and analyzed for coliform contamination. Samples were also obtained from food handlers and analyzed for coliform and E. coli contamination. None of the premises achieved the requirements of the Thai food safety standard. The samples showed significant coliform contamination (p < 0.01). Notably, the ice and drinking water samples were 100% coliform positive. The highest number of viable cells of total coliform and E. coli on the hands of the food handlers were >200 CFU/hand and >50 CFU/hand, respectively. Food safety conditions and food handlers' hand hygiene should be improved to protect consumers from the risk of foodborne diseases.

No abstract

No abstract

Plastic-coated paper (PCP) is commonly used as a takeaway food container in Thailand. This study aimed to investigate the phthalate content in PCP and to evaluate the health risk of dietary exposure to phthalates. Determination of phthalates, namely, of benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), was carried out using a simple total immersion test followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Consumption data of 430 students in a university were collected by a questionnaire for health risk assessment. The results showed that DEHP was the most abundant compound detected in the PCP samples, followed by DBP and BBP, respectively. The hazard indexes (<1) showed that the health risk to all subjects was acceptable, but monitoring of phthalates in PCP on market shelves should be performed regularly to protect consumers' health.

Background Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) have been recognized as one of the global health issues affecting humans, animals, and the environment. A lack of knowledge, negative attitudes, and irrational drug use can make significant contributions to the spread of ARB. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding antibiotic use and resistance among health science (HS) and non-health science (NHS) students and to determine the factors that influence their KAP concerning antibiotic use and resistance. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 404 HS and NHS students in Southern Thailand from December 2021 to March 2022. The students who fulfilled the study inclusion criteria responded to a questionnaire that had five dimensions. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the qualitative variables, and Fisher’s exact test was applied to compare the demographic variables between the HS and NHS students. Chi-squared tests were used to compare the percentages of each KAP question between the HS and NHS students. The KAP regarding antibiotic use and resistance for each variable were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis H test. Spearman’s correlation test was used to estimate the correlation between the variables and KAP. Results A total of 404 (HS,162; NHS,242) students completed the self-administered questionnaire. The students’ highest score was for attitude, followed by practice and knowledge. Our findings revealed that the HS students had higher levels of KAP correlated with antibiotic use and resistance than the NHS students (P < 0.001). The higher KAP scores were among the more senior students, which indicates that instruction on antibiotics was effective in their curriculum. Conclusions Antibiotic use and resistance knowledge and attitudes should be conveyed to all university students via courses, seminars, or workshops. Such interventions could set the standard for rational antibiotic use as well as long-term prevention and control of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Ice is widely used in food and drink establishments for refreshing drinks and food preservation. Therefore, the contamination of ice, especially microbial contamination, could be the vehicle for the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to consumers. This study aimed to determine of bacteriological quality of ice sold at food and beverage premises. The sanitary conditions of the premises were also investigated. Edible ice samples from 12 premises were collected and analyzed coliform bacteria using the multiple-tube fermentation technique. Modified food sanitation inspection form from the Bureau of Food and Water Sanitation, Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, was used for inspection of food and beverage premises. It was found that all samples were positive for coliform bacteria, ranging from 140 - > 24,000 MPN/ 100 mL, which is inconsistent with the standard permission level in terms of total coliform bacteria of the Thailand office of Food and Drug Administration. Ice storage and the handwashing behaviour of food handlers were the main sanitary issues found from the sanitary conditions survey. The finding of this study urges the regulatory guidelines for monitoring ice quality and the sanitary conditions of food and beverage premises to protect the consumers’ health from the consumption of unsafe ice.