Scientific Opinion on the risk posed by pathogens in food of non-animal origin. Part 1 (outbreak data analysis and risk ranking of food/pathogen combinations)

Publication, Efsa

doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2013.3025

Cited by 169 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 177 publications

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“…Foodbome illness caused by repeated outbreaks from fresh produce has been on the increase in recent years (6,7,10,23). Leafy greens, including fresh herbs, were ranked by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, World Health Organization (11) ahead of other fresh fruits and vegetables, with respect to microbiological hazards, because leafy greens are grown and exported in large volumes, have been associated with multiple outbreaks globally, and have a complex production chain.…”

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confidence: 99%

Survival of Salmonella on Basil Plants and in Pesto

Eckner¹,

Høgåsen

Begum

et al. 2015

Journal of Food Protection

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Leafy greens, including fresh herbs, have repeatedly been involved in outbreaks of foodborne disease. Although much effort has been put into studying leafy greens and products such as head lettuce and baby leaves, less is known about fresh leafy herbs, such as basil. The goal of this study was to investigate the survival of Salmonella on basil plants and in pesto. A mix of three Salmonella strains (Reading, Newport, and Typhimurium) was inoculated onto basil leaves and pesto and survived during the experimental period. Whereas the mix of Salmonella survived in pesto stored at 4°C for 4 days, Salmonella was recovered from inoculated leaves for up to 18 days at 20 to 22°C. Although the steady decline of Salmonella on leaves and in pesto suggests a lack of growth, it appears that pesto is a hostile environment for Salmonella because the rate of decline in pesto was faster (0.29 log CFU/g/day) than on leaves (0.11 log CFU/g/day). These findings suggest that the dilution of contaminated ingredients and the bactericidal effect of the pesto environment helped to further reduce the level of enteric organisms during storage, which may have applications for food safety.

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confidence: 99%

Survival of Salmonella on Basil Plants and in Pesto

Eckner¹,

Høgåsen

Begum

et al. 2015

Journal of Food Protection

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“…However, an outbreak with Escherichia coli O157 in the United States in 2011 with 15 cases, 2 of which were fatal, was caused by strawberries which were contaminated on the field by wildlife contact, namely, deer feces (5). One Salmonella outbreak associated with berries was reported in the European Union in the period 2007 to 2011, but it was linked to fresh raspberry juice and not to strawberries (6). Since there is no routine or regular monitoring of strawberries, very limited information about the prevalence of Salmonella spp.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…and E. coli O157 on strawberries (0/173 [7], 0/11 [8], 0/194 [9], 0/31 [10], and 0/36 [11]). The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) mentioned in an opinion issued in 2014 that, due to this lack of microbial data on berries, it is currently not possible to assess the suitability of a generic E. coli hygiene criterion at the point of primary production for berries (6). It was recommended that each production environment (including open field, enclosed or greenhouse, and wild area environments) should be evaluated for hazards that may compromise hygiene and food safety, in particular, to identify potential sources of fecal contamination.…”

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confidence: 99%

Microbial Safety and Sanitary Quality of Strawberry Primary Production in Belgium: Risk Factors for Salmonella and Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Contamination

Delbeke

Ceuppens

Hessel

et al. 2015

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Strawberries are an important fruit in Belgium in both production and consumption, but little information is available about the presence of Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in these berries, the risk factors in agricultural production, and possible specific mitigation options. In 2012, a survey was undertaken of three soil and three soilless cultivation systems in Belgium. No Salmonella spp. were isolated. No STEC was detected in the strawberry samples (0 of 72), but STEC was detected by PCR in 11 of 78 irrigation water and 2 of 24 substrate samples. Culture isolates were obtained for 2 of 11 PCR-positive irrigation water samples and 2 of 2 substrate samples. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed elevated generic E. coli numbers (the odds ratio [OR] for a 1 log increase being 4.6) as the most important risk factor for STEC, together with the berry-picking season (elevated risk in summer). The presence of generic E. coli in the irrigation water (>1 CFU per 100 ml) was mainly influenced by the type of irrigation water (collected rainfall water stored in ponds was more often contaminated than groundwater pumped from boreholes [OR ‫؍‬ 5.8]) and the lack of prior treatment (untreated water versus water subjected to sand filtration prior to use [OR ‫؍‬ 19.2]). The follow-up study in 2013 at one of the producer locations indicated cattle to be the most likely source of STEC contamination of the irrigation water.

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“…Uncertainties were identified by reviewing the approach as described in the opinion (EFSA BIOHAZ Panel, 2013) and listing explicit and implicit assumptions and uncertainties. The list of uncertainties was then finalised by discussions with experts from the working group on Risk Ranking Tools and phrased as assumptions.…”

Section: 1mentioning

confidence: 99%

Uncertainty assessment using the NUSAP approach: a case study on the EFoNAO tool

Bouwknegt

Havelaar

2015

EFSA Supporting Publications

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Many of the current policy issues that have to be addressed are suffering from large uncertainties, while decision stakes are high. Addressing the uncertainties explicitly in risk assessments becomes especially important when addressing such issues. This report describes the evaluation of an uncertainty typology combined with a NUSAP (acronym for Numeral, Unit, Spread, Pedigree and Assessment) approach. The uncertainty typology is used for uncertainty characterization based on six dimensions, aiding the choice for subsequent approaches to dealing with the uncertainties in e.g. decision making. One such approach is the NUSAP method, which is used for prioritizing uncertainty sources based on the scientific strength and influence on results as judged by experts. The case study selected was EFSA's Food of Non-Animal origin risk ranking model, which aims to identify and rank pathogen and food combinations based on public health concern. Sixteen uncertainty sources were identified and characterized with the uncertainty typology. The 16 uncertainty sources were implicit or explicit assumptions and assessed as such for scientific strength and influence on results during a NUSAP workshop. Criteria for assessing the scientific strength included: influence of situational limitation, assumption plausibility, choice space and peer agreement. Overall, the combination of uncertainty typology and NUSAP was found to be very helpful as method for uncertainty assessment, as the procedure increases insight in uncertainty sources related to model outcomes and in their impact on the end result. The attention to uncertainty was recommended to be integrated in risk assessments, as it aids to formalise discussions about uncertainties. It was also recommended that practicality and feasibility aspects should be considered when incorporating uncertainty assessment in such assessments, that a clear and consistent terminology should be used and that training of experts is required to integrate elements of uncertainty assessment in future risk assessment activities. DISCLAIMERThe present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). This task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a contract between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s), awarded following a tender procedure. The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by the Authority. The European Food Safety Authority reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors. The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). This task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a contract between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s), awarded following a tender procedure. The present document is...

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Scientific Opinion on the risk posed by pathogens in food of non-animal origin. Part 1 (outbreak data analysis and risk ranking of food/pathogen combinations)

Cited by 169 publications

References 177 publications

Survival of Salmonella on Basil Plants and in Pesto

Survival of Salmonella on Basil Plants and in Pesto

Microbial Safety and Sanitary Quality of Strawberry Primary Production in Belgium: Risk Factors for Salmonella and Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Contamination

Uncertainty assessment using the NUSAP approach: a case study on the EFoNAO tool

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