The continuing growth of the fresh and fresh-cut produce market also means that the industry is facing new challenges, primary among them being the potential for microbiological hazards to cause illnesses or outbreaks that could be disastrous for the consumer and the industry. From 1994 to 2007, the United States (US) supermarket sales of salad increased from $3.3 to $15.5 billion ( Cook, 2008). The fresh-cut produce industry has experienced tremendous growth in the past 10 years, with the consumption and sales of these products increasing in supermarkets and on restaurant menus, including quick serve establishments, around the country and internationally. Fresh produce is perceived by consumers as being healthy, fresh, convenient, and tasty, all of which are strong selling points for today’s health-conscious (and time-challenged) consumer. Kustin, in Electron Beam Pasteurization and Complementary Food Processing Technologies, 2015 7.2 Fresh produce safetyįresh-cut produce, or leafy green vegetables, is a fast-growing food category and is an important component of a healthy diet. This represents a major challenge for the fresh-cut industry, as oxidative sanitizers are mainly used for the sanitization of fresh-cut produce, especially leafy greens.Ĭ.J. The interaction of the bacterial cell with the damaged plant tissue can result in the upregulation of genes involved in attachment, virulence, and resistance to oxidative antimicrobial agents. Once attached onto the injured parts of the tissue, pathogenic bacteria can grow to high numbers in fresh fruits and vegetables. The mechanisms of attachment for epiphytic colonization mainly include curli, fimbriae, flagella, and biofilm formation. The endophytic colonization occurs through natural openings, damaged tissue, and chemotaxis. Both endophytic and epiphytic colonization have been reported for foodborne pathogenic bacteria in fresh produce. There are multiple sources of contamination for fresh produce during preharvest and harvest–postharvest stages of production. Recent foodborne outbreak statistics showed that there is an increasing trend in fresh-cut produce-linked outbreaks mostly associated with Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 as the causative agents. Hülya Ölmez, in Food Hygiene and Toxicology in Ready-to-Eat Foods, 2016 Abstractįresh-cut-produce-associated foodborne outbreaks are a major public health concern worldwide.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |