Foodborne viruses and fresh produce.

Abstract

Raw and minimally processed fruits and vegetables are typically sold to the consumer in a ready-to-use or ready-to-eat form. These products do not generally contain preservatives or antimicrobial agents and rarely undergo any heat processing prior to consumption. For many years raw fruits and vegetables have been implicated as vehicles for transmission of infectious micro-organisms. Although fresh produce can support the growth and/or survival of many pathogenic bacteria there is little published information on the stability of human pathogenic viruses on these food products. Viruses cannot grow in or on foods but may sometimes be present on fresh produce as a result of faecal contamination. This contamination can arise at source in the growth and harvesting area from contact with polluted water and inadequately or untreated sewage sludge used for irrigation and fertilization. Alternatively, fruits or vegetables handled by an infected person might become contaminated with virus and transmit infection. The most frequently reported foodborne viral infections are viral gastroenteritis and hepatitis A: both have been associated with the consumption of fresh fruit or vegetables.