Abstract
Nutritional value of vegetables and high prices of meat and meat originated food compel common people to consume plant originated food particularly salad vegetables. Microbial population of vegetable surfaces contains a large number of pathogenic bacteria including members of Enterobactereace like Escherichia coli (E. coli). A survey was conducted in three major markets of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Tomato, lettuce, cabbage and cucumber samples were collected from three shops of each market. Each vegetable was analysed as unwashed and washed for total coliforms, faecal coliforms and E. coli by FAO (Food Quality Manual). About two hundred and fifty E. coli isolates were preserved, serotyped for presence of O157 serotype. Total coliforms, faecal coliforms and E. coli count exceeded the permissible limits in most samples. The highest Total coliforms were associated with cabbage (3.78 log10 cfu/g). Cucumber was the least contaminated by Total coliforms (2.15 log10 cfu/g). E. coli was detected in tomato, lettuce, cucumber and cabbage. Washed samples showed reduced bacterial population. Seventy six isolates of E. coli were biochemically characterized and serotyped for O157 antigen. A majority of strains could not be identified by serotyping. These findings conclude with high potentially pathogenic microbial load on salad vegetables and urge for preventive action on priority basis.
Highlights
Foodborne illness has recently gained much attention worldwide due to its deleterious effects on human health and consequentially on national economy
Some of the strains are pathogenic like E. coli O157:H7 and are able to produce serious illness in humans including diarrhoea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, hemorrhagic colitis (HC), and the acute hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) [6,7]
Results of faecal coliforms exhibited presence of faecal contamination in all samples collected from all vegetable markets of Rawalpindi and the results revealed that lettuce contained maximum number of faecal coliforms
Summary
Foodborne illness has recently gained much attention worldwide due to its deleterious effects on human health and consequentially on national economy. Worldwide increased consumption of fresh vegetables in the form of raw and minimally processed salads has resulted in increase in foodborne outbreaks which sometimes may be fatal [1]. Food trade among various countries may bring in additional food safety challenges by allowing extensive spread of unhygienic food, and predominantly produce [2]. Foodborne outbreaks are witnessed by people of developed countries like the United States, Japan and Germany [3,4,5]. Some of the strains are pathogenic like E. coli O157:H7 and are able to produce serious illness in humans including diarrhoea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, hemorrhagic colitis (HC), and the acute hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) [6,7]
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