Suitability of centrifuge water for detecting the presence of Escherichia coli versus finished fresh-cut lettuce testing.

Suitability of centrifuge water for detecting the presence of Escherichia coli versus finished fresh-cut lettuce testing. Food Microbiol. 2019 Dec;84:103271 Authors: López-Gálvez F, Gil MI, Andújar S, Allende A Abstract Fresh produce causes most foodborne outbreaks in the USA, and it is also considered a hazardous food product in other areas of the world such as Europe. The outbreaks attributed to fresh produce increase the focus of producers on hygiene to minimize exposure to food hazards. The fresh produce industry has the urgent need to detect if there are production lots contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms before distribution. Although the industry is mostly using end-product testing for the detection of target microorganisms, previous studies have evaluated the suitability of different sampling points within the production line of a fresh-cut processing plant. In the present study, the centrifuge effluent water was assessed as an alternative sampling point to end-product testing. E. coli was selected as an index microorganism of the presence of pathogens. The presence of E. coli was assessed in centrifuge effluent water, and fresh-cut lettuce from a commercial fresh-cut produce processing line (n = 95). The rate of false positives and negatives, as well as the specificity, sensitivity, and efficiency of the alternative method were calculated. The mean population of E. coli in positive water samples was 0.86 log cf...
Source: Food Microbiology - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: Food Microbiol Source Type: research