ABSTRACT
The production, sale, and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables have increased rapidly in the last two decades. Raw, fresh produce, especially vegetables, available as pre-cut and ready-to-eat salads are recognized as important sources of nutrients, vitamins, and ber for humans. Their benecial health effects as well as the changes in peoples’ lifestyle have increased the demand for fresh produce, which in turn has increased imports of such products from various producing countries and regions to those of increased consumption. These procedures encourage introduction and dissemination of hazards from regions of production into other wider geographical areas (Nguyen-the and Carlin, 1994; De Roever, 1998). The potential for foodborne pathogen contamination is apparent in the different aspects of fruit and vegetable production practices. Contamination of raw, fresh produce with either spoilage or pathogenic microorganisms can occur by cultivation, handling, and processing procedures (Tournas, 2005). Indeed, these products have been implicated in numerous foodborne disease outbreaks and identied as sources of foodborne pathogens (Sewell and Farber, 2001; Sivapalasingam et al., 2004). The most well-documented pathogens involved in human disease associated with the consumption of fresh produce are the psychrotrophic Listeria monocytogenes and the mesophilic Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7. In 2011 in the European Union, vegetables were implicated in 37 outbreaks according to the scientic report of EFSA and ECDC (EFSA, 2013a). Among the major causative agents were Salmonella (21.6%) and pathogenic E. coli (18.9%). Five outbreaks were related to sprouts, including
1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Risk Assessment ............................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Hazard Identication ........................................................................................................................ 4 1.4 Exposure Assessment ....................................................................................................................... 5 1.5 Hazard Characterization .................................................................................................................. 6
1.5.1 Intrinsic Factors ................................................................................................................... 7 1.5.2 Extrinsic Factors .................................................................................................................. 8 1.5.3 Interventions or Preservative Techniques ........................................................................... 8
1.5.3.1 Listeria monocytogenes ....................................................................................... 9 1.5.3.2 Salmonella ........................................................................................................... 9 1.5.3.3 Escherichia coli ................................................................................................. 10 1.5.3.4 Staphylococcus aureus ...................................................................................... 10 1.5.3.5 Other Bacterial Pathogens ..................................................................................11 1.5.3.6 Viruses ................................................................................................................11
