Effect of irrigation method on transmission to and persistence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on lettuce.
In this study, the transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to lettuce plants through spray and surface irrigation was demonstrated. For all treatments combined, the number of plants testing positive following a single exposure to E. coli O157: H7 through spray irrigation (29 of 32 plants) was larger than the number testing positive following surface irrigation (6 of 32 plants). E. coli O157:H7 persisted on 9 of 11 plants for 20 days following spray irrigation with contaminated water. Immersion of harvested lettuce heads for 1 min in a 200 ppm chlorine solution did not eliminate all E. coli O157:H7 cells. The results of this study suggest that regardless of the irrigation method used, crops can become contaminated; therefore, the irrigation of food crops with water of unknown microbial quality should be avoided.
Solomon
Ethan B
EB
Department of Food Science, Cook College, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick 08901-8520, USA.
Potenski
Catherine J
CJ
Matthews
Karl R
KR
D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods; D002713:Chlorine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005516:Food Microbiology; D018545:Lactuca / Q000382:microbiology*; D014871:Water Microbiology
D002713:Chlorine