Fresh vegetables and herbs are usually prepared and eaten raw without cooking or heating, which leads to a high risk of foodborne infection. The aim of the present study was to assess the contamination of raw vegetables, herbs, and the environment of food chains. Vegetable and herb samples originating both from the Czech Republic as well as from other countries were examined. The work was focused on the detection of commonly found, but also less frequently monitored foodborne pathogens, including viruses of the genus Norovirus (NoVs), hepatitis A virus (HAV), Listeria monocytogenes and Cronobacter spp. bacteria, and the parasites Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia intestinalis. All samples were analyzed using individual RT-qPCR/qPCR assays; bacterial pathogens were also simultaneously detected using culture methods. The prevalence of the studied microorganisms in 623 samples ranged from 0.6% to 44.3% for individual pathogens. None of the samples were positive for the presence of HAV. Analysis of 157 environmental samples from 12 farms revealed the presence of NoVs in the environment of four farms. NoVs were detected in water samples as well as on the hands and gloves of workers. Escherichia coli was detected in all farms in the environmental samples and in eight farms in water samples. However, no sample of water exceeded the level of 100 CFU/mL for E. coli. None of the samples of water were positive for the presence of the studied parasites. Vegetables and herbs available from Czech markets and farms may pose a certain risk of foodborne disease, especially in the case of NoVs and parasites. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study provides valuable information on the microbiological quality of raw vegetables and herbs available from Czech markets and farms. Good hygienic practices aimed at reducing the incidence of pathogenic agents on fresh produce should not be neglected. Emphasis should be placed on the control of irrigation water, especially with respect to norovirus contamination. It is appropriate to combine culture methods and qPCR methods for the detection of bacterial agents.
- MeSH
- Cronobacter izolace a purifikace MeSH
- Cryptosporidium izolace a purifikace MeSH
- Escherichia coli izolace a purifikace MeSH
- farmy MeSH
- Giardia lamblia izolace a purifikace MeSH
- kontaminace potravin analýza MeSH
- kultivační média chemie MeSH
- kvalita jídla MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- Listeria monocytogenes izolace a purifikace MeSH
- Norovirus izolace a purifikace MeSH
- počet mikrobiálních kolonií MeSH
- potravinářská mikrobiologie MeSH
- potravinářská parazitologie MeSH
- virus hepatitidy A izolace a purifikace MeSH
- zelenina mikrobiologie parazitologie virologie MeSH
- zemědělci MeSH
- zemědělské plodiny mikrobiologie parazitologie virologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
This study condenses data acquired during investigations of the virological quality of irrigation water used in production of fresh produce. One hundred and eight samples of irrigation water were collected from five berry fruit farms in Finland (1), the Czech Republic (1), Serbia (2), and Poland (1), and sixty-one samples were collected from three leafy green vegetable farms in Poland, Serbia, and Greece. Samples were analyzed for index viruses of human or animal fecal contamination (human and porcine adenoviruses, and bovine polyoma viruses), and human pathogenic viruses (hepatitis A virus, hepatitis E virus, and noroviruses GI/GII). Both index and pathogenic viruses were found in irrigation water samples from the leafy green vegetables production chain. The data on the presence of index viruses indicated that the highest percentage of fecal contamination was of human origin (28.1 %, 18/64), followed by that of porcine (15.4 %, 6/39) and bovine (5.1 %, 2/39) origins. Hepatitis E virus (5 %, 1/20) and noroviruses GII (14.3 %, 4/28) were also detected. Samples from berry fruit production were also positive for both index and pathogenic viruses. The highest percentage of fecal contamination was of human origin (8.3 %, 9/108), followed by that of porcine, 4.5 % (4/89) and bovine, 1.1 % (1/89) origins. Norovirus GII (3.6 %, 2/56) was also detected. These data demonstrate that irrigation water used in primary production is an important vehicle of viral contamination for fresh produce, and thus is a critical control point which should be integrated into food safety management systems for viruses. The recommendations of Codex Alimentarius, as well as regulations on the use of water of appropriate quality for irrigation purposes, should be followed.
- MeSH
- kontaminace potravin analýza MeSH
- listy rostlin růst a vývoj virologie MeSH
- ovoce růst a vývoj virologie MeSH
- sladká voda chemie virologie MeSH
- viry klasifikace genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- zelenina růst a vývoj virologie MeSH
- zemědělské zavlažování MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Evropa MeSH
