Microbiological safety of vegetable produce: the impact of pre- and post-harvest practices

Publication date: 09/09/2019
Extent: 34 pages

Contributions by: Max Teplitski, NIFA-USDA, USA

Chapter synopsis: Over the last decade, fresh fruits and vegetables have been linked to at least a dozen major outbreaks of foodborne illness in North America and Europe. It is becoming clear that sanitation alone will not alleviate the problem of human pathogens in produce, and a systems approach is needed to design comprehensive strategies for ensuring produce safety farm-to-fork. This chapter focuses on the impact of vegetable production practices on microbiological safety of produce. The chapter surveys potential sources of human pathogens in the vegetable production environment, from wild and domestic animals to soil amendments and irrigation water. The chapter then investigates the impact of soil properties, environmental factors, vegetable production and handling practices on microbiological quality of the product. Lastly, the chapter briefly surveys current approaches for controlling human pathogens on fruits and vegetables, using plant breeding, disinfectants and biological controls.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2019.0045.16