Microbiological Profiles of Egyptian Raw Vegetables and Salads

Abstract

Two hundred-fifty samples of raw vegetables and salads that were collected from hotels, restaurants, small foodservice shops, markets and street vendors in Egypt were tested for Salmonella, Shigella and aerobic colony (30°C) count. Thirty-six of these samples were tested for Staphylococcus aureus. Salmonella was isolated from two samples of green leafy vegetables (greens) and one sample of mixed salad that most likely contained greens. Shigellae were isolated from one sample of greens, one sample of parsley, and three samples of mixed salads. Most samples of raw vegetables and salads were at either room or outside temperature just before sampling. Eighty percent of the samples had aerobic colony counts of more than 106 CFU/g. Three of 36 samples contained ca. 1 × 103S. aureus/g.