Production Practices as Risk Factors in Microbial Food Safety of Fresh and Fresh‐Cut Produce

Suslow, Trevor; Oria, Maria; Beuchat, Larry R.; Garrett, E.H.; Parish, Mickey E.; Harris, Linda J.; Farber, J.N.; Busta, Frank F.

doi:10.1111/j.1541-4337.2003.tb00030.x

Cited by 102 publications

(88 citation statements)

References 133 publications

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“…Since the epidemiological investigations start very often long time after the contamination or the harvest, it is very challenging to assess whether the contamination took place in the ield or occurred "post-harvest" during the processing. Consequently in the majority of cases, the information available does not necessarily reveal the real causes of contamination [29].…”

Section: Contamination Of Fresh Producementioning

confidence: 99%

Interaction between Salmonella and Plants: Potential Hosts and Vectors for Human Infection

Fornefeld¹,

Schierstaedt²,

Jechalke³

et al. 2017

Current Topics in Salmonella and Salmonellosis

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Fruits and vegetables are important for a healthy diet. However, when eaten raw and contaminated with human pathogens (HPs) they may cause a disease outbreak. Contamination with HPs can occur along the entire farm-to-fork production chain and Salmonella enterica is one of the most common foodborne pathogens. A range of biotic and abiotic environmental factors can inluence the complex interactions between Salmonella and plants. Moreover, the outcome of experiments largely depends on the experimental design and parameters or methods employed, and on top, on the accompanying plant microbiome and the genetic equipment of the plant and the Salmonella strain. Particularly mobile genetic elements contribute to the diversiication and adaptation of Salmonella to the plant environment. So far, litle is known about the key processes and factors inluencing the atachment and potential internalization of Salmonella in plants and the plant speciic responses. It is therefore important to beter understand the ecology of Salmonella in the soil and plant environment, in order to propose practicable recommendations for prevention of foodborne diseases. This also requires improved sensitivity and speciicity of detection methods. In this chapter, we present the current knowledge, research needs, and methodology regarding the complex interactions between Salmonella and plants.

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Section: Contamination Of Fresh Producementioning

confidence: 99%

Interaction between Salmonella and Plants: Potential Hosts and Vectors for Human Infection

Fornefeld¹,

Schierstaedt²,

Jechalke³

et al. 2017

Current Topics in Salmonella and Salmonellosis

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Poor hygienic practices by agricultural workers in the field (including leakage from portable toilets to fields and in-field defecation) has also been identified as potential source of contamination (Suslow et al, 2003) and these poor practices as well as deliberate contamination with faecal material will also substantially increase the risk of contaminating tomatoes. Good hygienic practices during pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest activities are essential.…”

Section: Worker Health and Hygiene Worker Trainingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scientific Opinion on the risk posed by pathogens in food of non-animal origin. Part 2 (Salmonellaand Norovirus in tomatoes)

2014

EFSA Journal

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Tomatoes may be minimally processed to obtain ready-to-eat products, and these steps include selection, washing, cleaning, stem removal, cutting, packaging and storage. Epidemiological data from the EU have identified one salmonellosis outbreak and one Norovirus outbreak associated with tomato consumption between 2007 and 2012. Risk factors for tomato contamination by Salmonella and Norovirus were considered in the context of the whole food chain. Available estimates of the Salmonella and Norovirus occurrence in tomatoes were evaluated together with mitigation options relating to prevention of contamination and the relevance of microbiological criteria. It was concluded that each farm environment represents a unique combination of risk factors that can influence occurrence and persistence of pathogens in tomato production. Appropriate implementation of food safety management systems including Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), should be primary objectives of tomato producers. The current lack of data does not allow the proposal of a Hygiene Criterion for E. coli at primary production of tomatoes and it is also not possible to assess the suitability of an EU-wide E. coli Process Hygiene Criterion. There are Food Safety Criteria for the absence of Salmonella in 25 g samples of ready-to-eat pre-cut tomatoes as well as in unpasteurised tomato juice placed on the market during their shelf life. A Food Safety Criterion for Salmonella in whole tomatoes could be considered as a tool to communicate to producers and processors that Salmonella should not be present in the product. Testing of tomatoes for Salmonella could be limited to instances where other factors indicate breaches in GAP, GHP, GMP or HACCP programmes. It is currently not possible to provide a risk base for establishing a Norovirus Food Safety Criterion for these foods.

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“…Poor hygienic practices by agricultural workers in the field (including leakage from portable toilets to fields and in-field defecation) has also been identified as potential source of contamination (Suslow et al, 2003) and these poor practices as well as deliberate contamination with faecal material will also significantly increase the risk of contaminating berries. Good hygienic practices during pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest activities are essential.…”

Section: Worker Health and Hygiene Worker Trainingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Preventive measures are not always easy to implement as farmers may not control adjacent land activities or the land history does not include knowledge of the extent or level of pathogens in the soil or the time necessary to reduce these to acceptable levels (Suslow et al, 2003;James, 2006;Gil et al, 2013).…”

Section: Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scientific Opinion on the risk posed by pathogens in food of non‐animal origin. Part 2 (Salmonella and Norovirus in berries)

Publication¹

2014

EFS2

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Berries are a perishable food which can be consumed as fresh or minimally‐processed as well as a frozen ingredient added to many foods. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries are the most commonly consumed in the EU. Risk factors for berry contamination by Salmonella and Norovirus were considered in the context of the whole food chain. Available estimates of the prevalence of these pathogens in berries were evaluated together with mitigation options relating to prevention of contamination and the relevance of microbiological criteria. It was concluded that each farm environment represents a unique combination of risk factors that can influence occurrence and persistence of pathogens in berry production. Appropriate implementation of food safety management systems including Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), should be primary objectives of berry producers. There is currently insufficient evidence to justify the establishment of microbiological criteria for Salmonella for fresh or frozen berries. Outbreaks associated with Norovirus in frozen raspberries and strawberries are an emerging public health risk, although it is not known if in these outbreaks contamination occurred at minimal processing or during primary production. It is currently not possible to assess the suitability of an EU‐wide Norovirus Hygiene Criterion at primary production for raspberries and strawberries. Microbiological criteria for Norovirus in berries are useful for validation and verification of food safety management systems, including HACCP‐based processes and procedures, and can be used to communicate to food business operators and other stakeholders what is acceptable or unacceptable, however there is insufficient data to provide a risk base for establishing a Process Hygiene and Food Safety Criteria for Norovirus in berries. Collection of appropriate data and subsequent risk‐based development of microbiological criteria to support improved control of Norovirus in frozen raspberries and strawberries should be considered as a priority.

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Production Practices as Risk Factors in Microbial Food Safety of Fresh and Fresh‐Cut Produce

Cited by 102 publications

References 133 publications

Interaction between Salmonella and Plants: Potential Hosts and Vectors for Human Infection

Interaction between Salmonella and Plants: Potential Hosts and Vectors for Human Infection

Scientific Opinion on the risk posed by pathogens in food of non-animal origin. Part 2 (Salmonellaand Norovirus in tomatoes)

Scientific Opinion on the risk posed by pathogens in food of non‐animal origin. Part 2 (Salmonella and Norovirus in berries)

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