Microorganisms Found in MPR and Packaged Produce and Their Detection Methods

Abstract

Due to health benefits of the fresh fruits and vegetables, the consumption of the minimally processed refrigerated (MPR) and packaged produce has been increased in the USA and EU countries. For MPR and packaged product production, fresh produces and vegetables are first examined for quality purposes and then washed, cut, dried, sanitized, and packaged. When these processes are performed under insufficient sanitary conditions, foodborne outbreaks become inevitable. The most common foodborne agents, causing outbreaks in MPR and packaged produce, are pathogenic bacteria (i.e., Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium botulinum, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter jejuni, Yersinia enterocolitica, Aeromonas hydrophila), viral pathogens (i.e., hepatitis A, Norwalk virus), and parasites (i.e., Giardia lamblia). To prevent these MPR and packaged produce-related outbreaks, the ecology of microorganisms and fresh produces and fruits should be well known. Therefore, the detection methods and their improvements are crucial. To advance the safety and quality of the MPR and packaged produce, here we provided the most common foodborne pathogens in these products and their rapid, standardized, and easy-to-use identification methods.