The ability of public health agencies to identify, through enhanced epidemiologic and surveillance techniques, raw fruits, vegetables, and unpasteurized juices as probable sources of infectious microorganisms, has undoubtedly resulted in increased numbers of documented outbreaks. Changes in agronomic, harvesting, distribution, processing, and consumption patterns and practices have also likely contributed to this increase. The risk of illness associated with raw produce and unpasteurized produce products can be reduced by controlling or preventing contamination, or by removing or killing pathogenic microorganisms by washing or treating them with sanitizers. However, the hydrophobic cutin, diverse surface morphologies, and abrasions in the epidermis of fruits and vegetables limit the efficacy of these treatments. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2000) 25, 281–287.
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Received 23 June 2000/ Accepted in revised form 17 October 2000
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Burnett, S., Beuchat, L. Human pathogens associated with raw produce and unpasteurized juices, and difficulties in decontamination. J Ind Microbiol Biotech 25, 281–287 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jim.7000106
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jim.7000106