Microbial quality of blueberries for the fresh market

Quansah, Joycelyn K.; Gazula, Himabindu; Holland, Renee; Scherm, H.; Li, Changying; Takeda, Fumi; Chen, Jinru

doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2018.12.034

Cited by 19 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…These soft fruits, in conjunction with raspberries or other berries (Calder et al., ; Herwaldt, ; Hutin et al., ; Niu et al., ; Ponka, Maunula, von Bonsdorff, & Lyytikainen, ), constitute a contamination risk because they are not suitable for intensive washing, which would result in loss of commercially valuable properties, such as shape and appearance (Quansah et al., ). They are normally handpicked and packaged on site, often being later exported to consumer countries (Quansah et al., ). Hygiene during picking and packaging processes, including the absence of toilets or hand washing facilities (Julien‐Javaux et al., ), as well as manipulation by infected handlers, are reported causes of microbial contamination (Atmar et al., ; Ramsay & Upton, ; Shaw, Svoboda, Jie, Daraba, & Nonnecke, ; Verhaelen et al., ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The highest amount of reported cases linked to the consumption of a single foodstuff was associated with strawberries (15.9%, 11,553 out of 72,855 cases). These soft fruits, in conjunction with raspberries or other berries (Calder et al, 2003;Herwaldt, 2000;Hutin et al, 1999;Niu et al, 1992;Ponka, Maunula, von Bonsdorff, & Lyytikainen, 1999), constitute a contamination risk because they are not suitable for intensive washing, which would result in loss of commercially valuable properties, such as shape and appearance (Quansah et al, 2019). They are normally handpicked and packaged on site, often being later exported to consumer countries (Quansah et al, 2019).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Focusing on soft fruits, typical production practices include handpicking, specifically for products to be sold in fresh markets (Quansah et al., ). They are also typically not suitable for intensive washing steps due to potential loss of commercially valuable properties.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Microbial Contamination of Fresh Produce: What, Where, and How?

Machado-Moreira

Richards

Brennan

et al. 2019

Comp Rev Food Sci Food Safe

185

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Promotion of healthier lifestyles has led to an increase in consumption of fresh produce. Such foodstuffs may expose consumers to increased risk of foodborne disease, as often they are not subjected to processing steps to ensure effective removal or inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms before consumption. Consequently, reports of ready‐to‐eat fruit and vegetable related disease outbreak occurrences have increased substantially in recent years, and information regarding these events is often not readily available. Identifying the nature and source of microbial contamination of these foodstuffs is critical for developing appropriate mitigation measures to be implemented by food producers. This review aimed to identify the foodstuffs most susceptible to microbial contamination and the microorganisms responsible for disease outbreaks from information available in peer‐reviewed scientific publications. A total of 571 outbreaks were identified from 1980 to 2016, accounting for 72,855 infections and 173 deaths. Contaminated leafy green vegetables were responsible for 51.7% of reported outbreaks. Contaminated soft fruits caused 27.8% of infections. Pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli and Salmonella, norovirus, and hepatitis A accounted for the majority of cases. Large outbreaks resulted in particular biases such as the observation that contaminated sprouted plants caused 31.8% of deaths. Where known, contamination mainly occurred via contaminated seeds, water, and contaminated food handlers. There is a critical need for standardized datasets regarding all aspects of disease outbreaks, including how foodstuffs are contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. Providing food business operators with this knowledge will allow them to implement better strategies to improve safety and quality of fresh produce.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Microbial Contamination of Fresh Produce: What, Where, and How?

Machado-Moreira

Richards

Brennan

et al. 2019

Comp Rev Food Sci Food Safe

185

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In addition, to molds contamination, the occurrence of several bacteria (e.g., coliforms , Listeria spp.) also contribute to blackberries decays within several days after harvest [ 44 , 45 , 46 ]. In particular, coliform contamination could be influenced by the conditions of hygiene prevailing during post-harvest handling and packing [ 47 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combined Effect of Active Packaging of Polyethylene Filled with a Nano-Carrier of Salicylate and Modified Atmosphere to Improve the Shelf Life of Fresh Blueberries

et al. 2020

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Blueberries are popular among consumers for their high nutritional value but are highly perishable due to the microbial decay. The use of active packaging that is able to interact with the food through releasing or absorbing substances can be a valid approach to preserve the quality and increase the fruit’s shelf-life. In this paper, an active packaging based on polyethylene (PE) filled with a nano-carrier of salicylate was prepared and characterized. Fresh blueberries were packaged in passive modified atmosphere packaging (pMA) for 13 days at 8 °C. The combination of the active filler in bulk and pMA showed a significant inhibition of mold development and a reduction of the respiration rate of fruits. Moreover, the release of salicylate on blueberries did not alter the fruits’ sensory traits and preserved the firmness and the nutritional quality. Finally, the combination of active packaging and pMA resulted a valid solution to extend blueberries’ shelf-life up to 13 days.

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“…Washing soft fruits, baby leaves, and sliced onions might lead to the loss of their commercial value due to changes in shape and appearance because they have fragile structures. They may have a higher microbial growth incidence after the postharvest period without a washing step [12][13][14][15][16]. Aerosolization of sanitizers could reduce the population of foodborne pathogens on soft fresh produce at the market [17][18][19][20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Combined Aerosolization with Ultraviolet C Light-Emitting Diode on Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus Attached to Soft Fresh Produce

Lee

Kim

Yoon

2021

Foods

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Washing soft fresh produce such as strawberries, baby leaves, and sliced onions with sanitizing agents is challenging due to their fragile texture. Thus, treatments like aerosolization using slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) and ultraviolet C light-emitting diode (UVC LED) irradiation may be good alternatives. In the present study, the reduction effects of a combined treatment of aerosolization using SAEW and UVC LED irradiation on enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and Staphylococcus aureus attached to strawberries, baby leaves, and sliced onions were investigated. The behaviours of EHEC and S. aureus, moisture loss, colour measurement, and visual appearance were also analyzed at 10 and 15 °C for 7 days. The reduction effect of the combined treatment with 100 SAEW and UVC LED was higher (0.53–0.92 log CFU g−1) than a single aerosolization treatment (0.11–0.41 log CFU g−1), regardless of samples or pathogens. A greater effect on EHEC and S. aureus reduction was observed in strawberries (0.74 and 0.92 log CFU g−1) than in baby leaves (0.62 and 0.53 log CFU g−1) and sliced onions (0.55 and 0.62 log CFU g−1). The combined treatment further reduced the EHEC and S. aureus populations in strawberries during 7 days of storage at 10 and 15 °C. However, the EHEC and S. aureus populations were maintained in baby leaves and sliced onions at 10 °C for 7 days. Additionally, the greatest effect on the maintenance of colour and appearance was obtained in the combined treatment. Since the combined treatment reduces EHEC and S. aureus populations and preserves visual quality, it could be expected to extend the shelf life of soft fresh produce at the retailer stage of the supply chain.

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Microbial quality of blueberries for the fresh market

Cited by 19 publications

References 15 publications

Microbial Contamination of Fresh Produce: What, Where, and How?

Microbial Contamination of Fresh Produce: What, Where, and How?

Combined Effect of Active Packaging of Polyethylene Filled with a Nano-Carrier of Salicylate and Modified Atmosphere to Improve the Shelf Life of Fresh Blueberries

Effects of Combined Aerosolization with Ultraviolet C Light-Emitting Diode on Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus Attached to Soft Fresh Produce

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