ABSTRACT
Vegetable-borne disease outbreak that occurred in Japan during the year 1996 is the biggest ever reported disaster in the history of food-borne illness. Salmonella spp., are gram negative, rod-shaped and non-spore-forming bacteria, most commonly found pathogens in the fresh produce. Several vegetables such as lettuce, melons, tomatoes, cauliflower, sprouts and spinach are prone to its contamination. Escherichia coli are gram negative, rod-shaped and facultatively anaerobic bacteria. Majority of E. coli strains are non-pathogenic and are normally found in the intestines of all animals, including humans. Listeria spp. are psychrotolerant that is they grow at refrigeration temperatures are ubiquitous organisms and are found in the faeces of livestock, soil, water and vegetation. Cyclospora is a protozoan pathogen transmitted by faeces-contaminated fresh produce and water. Norovirus contaminate water and salads. These viruses cause gastroenteritis in humans. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is widely used method for the detection of food-borne pathogens.
