Investigation and Analysis of Pathogenic Microbial Contamination of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Tianjin from 2015 to 2019

Abstract

In order to investigate the pathogenic microbial pollution of ready-to-eat fresh fruits and vegetables in Tianjin, 654 batches of samples of six kinds of ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables, such as lettuce, tomato, cucumber, chrysanthemum, peach and pear, were taken from the production and circulation links from 2015 to 2019. The total number of colonies, coliform, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, the pollution status of Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli O157:H7 were analyzed. The results showed that 135 batches of foodborne pathogens were detected in 654 batches of samples, with a detection rate of 20.6%, including Salmonella 1, Staphylococcus aureus 6, Bacillus cereus 128, and no other pathogens were detected. The samples with high detection rate of foodborne pathogens mostly appeared in supermarkets and farmers’ markets, which indicated that the contamination of foodborne pathogens in fruits and vegetables was easy to occur in the post harveststage. Foodborne pathogen contamination in ready-to-eat fresh fruits and vegetables is a potential safety hazard to consumers' health. It is necessary to strengthen the prevention and control of postharvest circulation links, ensure the food safety of ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables and prevent the outbreak of foodborne diseases.

Keywords

• ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables
• foodborne pathogens
• detection rate