Salmonella in black pepper (Piper nigrum): From farm to processing.

Contamination of black pepper (Piper nigrum) with Salmonella is a frequent problem in retail and imported shipments. However, there is scarce information about the prevalence of the pathogen in the initial stages of black pepper production chain. This study sought to bridge this gap in research by determining the prevalence, as well as quantifying, and identifying the main Salmonella serovars present during black pepper primary production and processing. Black pepper (233) and environmental (175) samples were collected from farms (354) and processing plants (54) in Espirito Santo, Brazil. The pathogen was detected in soil (16.7 %), drying waste (20.4 %), fallen berries (3.7 %), threshed berries (14.3 %), and dried peppercorns (22.2 %) collected from farms. Salmonella was also detected in samples of raw material (11.1 %), export products (16.7 %), and processing waste (16.7 %) collected from processing plants. A total of 12 serotypes were identified, and Salmonella Javiana showed the highest prevalence (38.8 %). According to the results, contamination occurring in the post-harvest phase is not eliminated or reduced during processing. Therefore, the adoption of good agricultural and manufacturing practices, supported by hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP), is crucial to mitigate this kind of contamination. These practices should be combined with decontamination treatments to ensure the safety of the final product. • Black pepper can be contaminated with Salmonella during harvest and post-harvest practices on farms. • Salmonella was detected in soil, drying waste, fallen berries, threshed berries, and dried peppercorns collected from farms. • Salmonella may persist during processing due to insufficient methods for controlling microbial contamination. • The presence of epidemiological relevance serotypes suggests that black pepper consumption could be a health risk. • Preventive measures must be adopted to mitigate Salmonella contamination during the havest and post-havest of black pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]