Scotland -E. coli contamination of fresh produce

On 23 March, Food Standards Scotland (FSS) published two research project reports investigating the survival of microbial contamination during the production of fresh produce and the effectiveness of controls to minimise the risk to the consumer.

• The first project (available at http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/node/12734) was commissioned in response to an outbreak of Escherichia coli O157 in Great Britain during 2011, associated with the handling and consumption of soil covered vegetables (see Current note 45/4002 at http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/ewr/redirect.aspx?id=49297) and simulated a ‘worst case scenario’ contamination event occurring to growing crops a week prior to harvest. The research showed that the commercial processes used to clean, prepare and store vegetables did reduce contamination, however in the unlikely event of a large crop contamination occurring close to harvest, some contamination might remain.
• The second project (available at http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/node/12735) was commissioned as a result of an E. coli O104 outbreak in Europe in 2011, where consumption of sprouts grown from contaminated seeds was associated with illness (see Current note 46/2002 at http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/ewr/redirect.aspx?id=51465). FSS investigated four different treatments that could be used to reduce contamination when sprouting seeds at home. A hot water (90°C for two minutes) treatment was found to be the most effective, although it was not 100% effective when the seeds were heavily contaminated.

The findings from both of these projects will be used by FSS to inform future risk assessments and food safety advice in relation to fresh produce. FSS advises good food hygiene practices in the kitchen (see http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/food-safety-standards/food-safety-hygiene) especially with fresh produce that tends to have more soil attached to it. [Source: FSS News Release, 23 March 2016. http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/news/fss-research-contamination-fresh-pro…]

• http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/documents/ewr/pdf2016/1613.pdf
• http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/news/fss-research-contamination-fresh-pro…