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Quantifying transfer rates of Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 between fresh-cut produce and common kitchen surfaces.
- Source :
-
Journal of food protection [J Food Prot] 2013 Sep; Vol. 76 (9), pp. 1530-8. - Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- Cross-contamination between foods and surfaces in food processing environments and home kitchens may play a significant role in foodborne disease transmission. This study quantifies the cross-contamination rates between a variety of fresh-cut produce and common kitchen surfaces (ceramic, stainless steel, glass, and plastic) using scenarios that differ by cross-contamination direction, surface type, produce type, and drying time/moisture level. A five-strain cocktail of rifampin-resistant Salmonella was used in transfer scenarios involving celery, carrot, and watermelon, and a five-strain cocktail of rifampin-resistant Escherichia coli O157:H7 was used in transfer scenarios involving lettuce. Produce or surface coupons were placed in buffer-filled filter bags and homogenized or massaged, respectively, to recover cells. The resulting solutions were serially diluted in 0.1% peptone and surface plated onto tryptic soy agar with 80 μg/ml rifampin and bismuth sulfite agar with 80 μg/ml rifampin for Salmonella or sorbitol MacConkey agar with 80 μg/ml rifampin for E. coli O157:H7. When the food contact surface was freshly inoculated, a high amount (>90%) of the inoculum was almost always transferred to the cut produce item. If the inoculated food contact surfaces were allowed to dry for 1 h, median transfer was generally >90% for carrots and watermelon but ranged from <1 to ∼70% for celery and lettuce. Freshly inoculated celery or lettuce transferred more bacteria (<2 to ∼25% of the inoculum) compared with freshly inoculated carrots or watermelon (approximately <1 to 8%). After 1 h of drying, the rate of transfer from inoculated celery, carrot, and lettuce was <0.01 to ∼5% and <1 to ∼5% for watermelon. Surface moisture and direction of transfer have the greatest influence on microbial transfer rates.
- Subjects :
- Colony Count, Microbial
Food Contamination prevention & control
Fruit microbiology
Lactuca microbiology
Plastics
Stainless Steel
Vegetables microbiology
Equipment Contamination
Escherichia coli O157 isolation & purification
Food Contamination analysis
Food Handling methods
Salmonella isolation & purification
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1944-9097
- Volume :
- 76
- Issue :
- 9
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of food protection
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 23992497
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-13-098