Microbiological assessment in strawberry production and recommendations to establish a good agricultural practice system.
This study conducted microbiological assessment in tunnel style strawberry greenhouses and packaging centers and suggested recommendations to establish a good agricultural practice for strawberry production. The samples from irrigation water, workers' gloves, harvest bins, soil, strawberry leaves and strawberries in greenhouses, packers' gloves, conveyor belts, packaging tables, and door knobs of entrances in packaging centers were collected. Bacterial cell counts of aerobic plate counts, coliforms, Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus were then enumerated on appropriate selective media. In general, bacterial populations were similar (p ≥ 0.05) among strawberry greenhouses but not among packaging houses. E. coli and E. coli O157:H7 were negative in all samples, and low levels of Salmonella and B. cereus were detected. However, high bacterial cell counts of aerobic plate counts, coliforms, and S. aureus were found in most samples. These results suggest that food safety practice in strawberry greenhouses and packaging centers should be improved, and the results may be useful in the establishment of a good agricultural practice system for strawberry production.
Department of Food and Nutrition, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, South Korea.
Yohan
Y
Yoon
Kyeongyeol
K
Kim
Minji
M
Nam
Won-Bo
WB
Shim
Jae-Gee
JG
Ryu
Doo-Ho
DH
Kim
Oh-Jong
OJ
You
Duck-Hwa
DH
Chung
D057914:Agricultural Irrigation / Q000592:standards; D000383:Agriculture / Q000592:standards; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000379:methods; D003257:Consumer Product Safety / Q000592:standards; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005506:Food Contamination; D005511:Food Handling / Q000592:standards*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D059022:Food Safety; D031985:Fragaria / Q000382:microbiology*; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification