Microbiological contamination of fresh-cut produce in Korea

Abstract

This study evaluated the microbiological contamination of fresh-cut produce in Korea. A total of 108 fresh-cut vegetables and fruits were surveyed for the aerobic mesophilic (AM) count, aerobic psychrophilic (AP) count, total coliform, generic Escherichia coli, yeast and mold, and foodborne pathogens. AM counts ranged from 1.00 to 7.36 log CFU/g, and AP counts showed very similar results as AM counts. For total coliform and generic E. coli, 53.7% and 9.3% of the samples were detected, respectively. For foodborne pathogens, none of the samples were identified as E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella spp. However, S. aureus and B. cereus was detected in 5.6% and 6.5% of the samples, respectively. Although the contamination level has varied widely, samples with high bacterial counts, such as julienned green onion, bell pepper, carrot, and mixed sprout, should be implemented with strict control measures.