Assessment of the microbiological safety of salad vegetables and sauces from kebab take-away restaurants in the United Kingdom

• Published in: Food microbiology 2009-09, Vol.26 (6), p.573-577
• Main Authors: Meldrum, R.J., Little, C.L., Sagoo, S., Mithani, V., McLauchlin, J., de Pinna, E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacillus; Bacillus - isolation & purification; Bacillus cereus; Bacillus licheniformis; Bacillus pumilus; Bacillus subtilis; bacterial contamination; Biological and medical sciences; Colony Count, Microbial; Consumer Product Safety; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - isolation & purification; Food Contamination - analysis; Food Handling - methods; Food industries; Food microbiology; food pathogens; food safety; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Humans; Hygiene; Hygiene and safety; meat products; microbiological quality; restaurant foods; restaurants; Restaurants - standards; Salad vegetables; salads; Salmonella; Salmonella - isolation & purification; Sauces; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; takeout foods; United Kingdom; vegetables; Vegetables - microbiology
• ISSN: 0740-0020; 1095-9998
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2009.03.013

The purpose of this study was to establish the microbiological safety of salad vegetables and sauces served in kebab take-away restaurants. Comparison with published microbiological guidelines revealed that 4.7% of 1213 salad vegetable samples were of unsatisfactory microbiological quality due to Escherichia coli and/or Staphylococcus aureus levels at ≥10 2 cfu g −1. Another 0.3% of salad samples were of unacceptable quality due to S. aureus at ≥10 4 cfu g −1 (2 samples) or the presence of Salmonella Kentucky (1 sample). Cucumber was the most contaminated salad vegetable with regards to unsatisfactory levels of E. coli (6.0%) or S. aureus (4.5%). Five percent of 1208 sauce samples were of unsatisfactory microbiological quality due to E. coli, S. aureus at ≥10 2 cfu g −1 and/or Bacillus cereus and other Bacillus spp. at ≥10 4 cfu g −1. A further 0.6% of sauce samples were of unacceptable quality due to Bacillus spp. ( Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus licheniformis) at ≥10 5 cfu g −1 or the presence of Salmonella Agbeni (1 sample). More samples of chilli sauce (8.7%) were of unsatisfactory or unacceptable microbiological quality than any other sauce types. The results emphasize the need for good hygiene practices in kebab take-away restaurants handling these types of ready-to-eat products.