EFSA – Full Report at this link 
Foods of non-animal origin – such as fruit, vegetables, cereals, and spices – are an important part of our daily diet. Usually these types of food are associated with healthy eating and do not pose any health concerns. However, sometimes their consumption causes mild to severe illnesses.
Over the past 4 years, EFSA has looked closely at the risks posed by foods of non-animal origin. EFSA’s Panel on Biological Hazard, with the support of the working group on foods of non-animal origin, assessed the public health risks posed by pathogens (disease-causing bacteria, viruses and parasites) that may contaminate these foods. The Chair of the Working Group, Jim McLauchlin, guides us through the main findings of this significant piece of work.
What are the risks posed by these foods?
A wide range of hazards are associated with different foods. In our work, we have identified and ranked combinations of foods and pathogens.
The top-ranking combinations of foods and pathogens are Salmonella and leafy greens eaten raw, followed by Salmonella and bulb and stem vegetables; Salmonella and tomatoes; Salmonella and melons; and pathogenic E. coli and fresh pods, legumes or grains.
Other pathogens that can be transmitted are norovirus, Shigella, Bacillus, and Yersinia as well as the hepatitis A virus.
Which foods pose the highest risks?
Amongst raw and minimally processed foods of non-animal origin, those that pose the highest risks in the EU are leafy greens, bulb and stem vegetables, tomatoes, melons, fresh pods, legumes or grains, sprouted seeds and berries.
These foods can be consumed in a variety of ways – from raw to highly processed and are generally free from noxious substances, such as poisonous chemicals, toxins and pathogenic organisms. Occasionally though, their consumption causes serious illnesses, which can be fatal. For example the 2011 sprouted seed-associated outbreak of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli in Germany caused 53 deaths and more than 2,300 hospitalisations.
